The Amcor PET plant in Radomsko, Poland, is supplying the preforms for 0.7- and 1.5-litre bottles for Kofola's Rajec mineral water, filled at the company's plant in Rajecka Lesna in Slovakia, and 1-litre preforms for Kofola's Snipp juice, filled in Spumador, Italy.
The clear 1-litre bottle for Snipp is aseptically filled and sold individually. The mineral water bottles are produced in transparent blue, transparent green and clear, for still, low carbonated and high carbonated varieties respectively. They are also sold in six packs to meet the growing requirements for bulk buying in the mineral water market.
The bottles mirror the designs of smaller glass equivalents which are sold in the restaurant trade, an important part of Kofola's branding strategy. The Snipp bottle has an attractive 'swirl' effect from the neck to the centre, while the tall Rajec bottles - with an enhanced shoulder at the top and labels placed just below at three quarter height - maximise on-shelf impact.
This major order from Kofola reflects the increasing popularity of PET bottles in all sectors of the soft drinks and mineral water markets across Eastern Europe. The products cost-effectiveness and light weight have made it the natural successor to glass - still widely used in the mineral water sector in particular.
"PET's convenience benefits have long been acknowledged but its design flexibility and the excellent quality of the bottles themselves mean the material is equally effective in reflecting and enhancing brand values and this is becoming a vital factor as markets become more and more competitive," said Frans Van Dooren, marketing manager of Amcor PET Packaging.