Innovative packaging format enables clean, one-piece food release while reducing serving mess and offering a lightweight alternative to traditional aluminium cans.
Amcor has partnered with premium Chinese pet food brand Ge Wu An to launch Li Kou, an innovative inverted-cup packaging solution for wet pet food. Commercially introduced in September 2026, the packaging format marks the first commercial deployment of an inverted pet food cup in China, addressing everyday challenges associated with opening and serving wet pet food.
Inverted Design Enables Clean, Convenient Dispensing
The standout feature of Li Kou is its bottom-seal opening mechanism, which allows pet owners to transfer the entire meal into a bowl without scraping or scooping food from the container.
The process is simple: peel the seal, invert the cup, tear open the bottom seal and lift the packaging away to release the food in one piece.
This design aims to overcome common frustrations associated with conventional aluminium pet food cans, including broken pull rings, sharp edges and food residue left inside the container.
Three-Component Packaging Structure
The integrated packaging solution combines three key components:
- Polypropylene (PP) cup: Provides the rigid structure needed to contain the wet pet food.
- Top lidding film: Seals the product at the top to maintain package integrity.
- Bottom seal film: Enables the inverted dispensing mechanism for convenient food release.
By integrating the opening and serving functions into the packaging structure, Li Kou transforms the cup from a conventional food container into a practical dispensing solution.
Lightweight Alternative to Aluminium Cans
Beyond consumer convenience, the cup-and-film construction offers a lightweight alternative to traditional aluminium cans. According to Amcor, the format uses less material per unit and reduces packaging weight during transportation.
These characteristics may support material-efficiency and logistics objectives for pet food brands. However, the overall environmental benefits would depend on the complete packaging composition, manufacturing processes and end-of-life management.
Collaborative Development Through Amcor Catalyst™
The packaging was developed through Amcor’s Catalyst™ innovation platform, which brings packaging specialists and brand owners together from the early stages of product development.
Amcor and Ge Wu An worked together for more than a year, combining the pet food brand’s understanding of consumer needs with Amcor’s packaging design and development expertise to transform a practical consumer challenge into a commercially viable solution.
The collaboration highlights the importance of consumer-focused design in developing packaging that delivers functional benefits while helping brands differentiate their products in an increasingly competitive pet care market.