Amcor has developed a new hot-fill polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle for Colombia’s Nutrea/Frudelca’s breakthrough Frupro protein juice. The new beverage is the latest in a growing category that blends the benefits of natural juice with protein to appeal to health-conscious consumers.
"We relied on Amcor as an important partner to deliver an innovative packaging solution that meets the performance test of this new functional beverage,” said Alejandor Gaviria, General Manager of Frudelca. Nutrea/Frudelca is a joint venture between Frudelca, a leading juice supplier, and Nutrea, a food and beverage company. Amcor is a pioneer in the development of PET heat-set technology, which allows beverages to be filled at temperatures up to 185°F (85°C) to ensure product quality and extended shelf life.
Frupro protein juice will be launched this month in Colombia. Nutrea/Frudelca is responding to a growing trend among consumers who are moving to healthy beverage options while also leveraging Amcor’s leadership in hot-fill beverage packaging. According to Euromonitor, the category is expected to grow by nearly double the pace of other segments.
“We’re thrilled to supply a hot-fill bottle that meets all the performance requirements for an evolving segment,” said Rodrigo Lecot, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, for Amcor Rigid Packaging-Latin America. The lightweight, recyclable bottle not only preserves the natural juice and protein ingredients but also delivers a clean look and strong shelf appeal that consumers want, according to Lecot. Amcor supplies 300-ml and 440-ml bottles for Frupro’s orange juice product. Nutrea/Frudelca plans to launch other fruit flavors later.
In the hot-fill arena, Amcor provides strong know-how, advanced preform technology, high-quality containers, and strong relationships with co-packers. PET, which has rapidly become the world’s preferred packaging material, is lightweight, shatterproof, recloseable, resealable, reusable and infinitely recyclable*. In addition, PET bottles often have the lowest carbon footprint and their production results in up to 70% less greenhouse gas emissions than other packaging materials, according to Amcor’s Asset Lifecycle Analysis. In the midst of today’s hygiene concerns, capped and sealed PET bottles keep beverages protected from pathogens like viruses and bacteria. They are also sealed to combat contamination and re-sealable for ongoing protection.
Glanbia, a leading protein supplier, was a key collaborator in the product development effort.
*With existing technologies including chemical recycling
