For consumer-packaged goods companies, brand recognition is everything. And once they have it, they don’t want to lose it.
When consumers think “Capri Sun” they picture a silvery iconic pouch enjoyed by several generations of on-the-go kids. That mental image includes an attached straw that’s punched through the pouch.
Now, after several years of requests from the drink’s legions of fans for a bottled version, brand owner Kraft Heinz gave them what they wanted. And they did it without losing the hard-earned branding gained one kid at a time for decades: the new multi-serve 96-ounce bottle launches with the pouch depicted prominently on the label.
It’s an elegantly clever design element to retain brand recognition.
After all, the pouch is the brand.
According to Kraft Heinz, “Capri Sun Multi-Serve delivers great value as a convenient two-pack with 32 pouches’ worth of juice.”
“With this larger format, everyone, including kids at heart, can bring a piece of their epic childhood to parties, summer gatherings and even dinnertime at home,” says Jordan Mann, senior brand manager, Capri Sun. “We’re now able to delight those fans that grew up on Capri Sun with an offering that suits their needs. They’ve outgrown the serving size of the pouch, but not their love for Capri Sun.”
That’s how a veteran brand makes a savvy move to grow their base to a wider audience: by leveraging packaging.
It's not the brand's first bottle, but...
It’s not the brand’s first bottled version. According to Fast Company, “The brand tried expanding beyond the pouch more than 20 years ago, though it didn’t last. It sold 16.5-ounce bottled ‘Capri Sun Island Refreshers’ in 2003 as a play for 16- to 25-year olds, but they’re no longer for sale.”
Island Refreshers were sold in aluminum bottles.
That was then, this time the move to a bottle is consumer driven. Kraft Heinz reports that between 2020 and 2023, 76% of suggestions received by the Capri Sun call center were about fans wanting a bigger product size. If this were a vote, that would be a landslide.
The bottle is available exclusively in the top-selling Fruit Punch flavor at BJ’s Wholesale Club, Sam’s Club and select Costco locations. Unlike multilayer pouches, the PET bottles are curbside recyclable.
