WestRock Releases Paper-Based CanCollar

ATLANTA — Standing out in the crowd can be hard when competing with brands that have larger teams and deeper pockets. With demand for craft beer on the rise, many breweries are looking for creative alternatives that set their brands apart. Consumers and brands are looking to cut down on unnecessary packaging, and the public concern over plastic beverage rings has given way to new approaches to beverage packaging. One of newest solutions is found in CanCollar.

Created by WestRock, a global paper and packaging provider, CanCollar is a durable, environmentally friendly, paperboard-based multi-pack solution for cans. Not only can CanCollar’s clay surface be printed or embellished to reinforce brand elements and elevate the consumer experience, it is ideal for brewers who want to make a unique and eco-friendly brand impression. CanCollar is made from 86% renewable and responsibly sourced fiber, which is laminated to reinforce the pack against moisture and rough handling. Enabling breweries to take a stand against waste, the multi-pack solution is recyclable where milk or juice cartons are accepted.

With both brewers’ and end-users’ needs in mind, the team at WestRock partnered with The Veil Brewing Co. in Richmond, Virginia to bring this package innovation to market and test its performance. The Veil’s customers wholeheartedly supported the switch to CanCollar, while the brewing team discovered that CanCollar provided significant cost savings. It allowed the brewer to save precious floor space, as one pallet of CanCollar holds the same amount of paper beverage rings as four pallets of plastic beverage rings.

The sweetest part of the CanCollar story is the additional cost savings found when using CanCollar equipment called the Chunk. With this simple applicator, one employee can apply CanCollar to a full case of 24 cans in just 12 seconds, enabling breweries to reduce line labor by as much as 30%.

“We love working with innovative breweries like The Veil to push the possibilities of what paper-based packaging can do. It’s always rewarding to bring exciting and sustainable new products to market,” said Britt Staley, marketing manager at WestRock.

WestRock Link: https://www.westrock.com/en/products/folding-cartons/cancollar

The Veil Co. Link: http://www.theveilbrewing.com/home/