Generation energy drink changes beer market

BEER MARKET The secret giant in the Swiss beer business, Ramseier Suisse AG, has given Swiss beer a new lease of life with a canning line.

Beer in a can is in demand among the younger generation.The energy drink generation is also changing the beer market. Accustomed to aluminum cans, this generation also prefers to buy beer in cans. Due to a lack of domestic supply, this has led to foreign canned beers gaining market share in the Swiss beer market. Ramseier Suisse AG therefore installed a bottling line for canned beer in mid-2014.20 million cans of beerIn its first full year of operation, Ramseier filled around 20 million cans of beer. Although Ramseier is the largest Swiss-owned brewery in Switzerland, it does not sell its own brand. Ramseier has specialized as a bottler for private labels, for example for Volg and Landi. Like Ramseier, these retailers belong to the Fenaco Group, a billion-euro company organized as a cooperative and owned by Swiss farmers.92 percent recycledAt a joint media event held by the recycling organization IGORA and Ramseier Suisse AG at the Hochdorf/LU site, it was revealed that cans are particularly popular with young consumers and that there is a high level of awareness among aluminium can consumers about collecting and recycling. In 2014, 9,290 tons of collected cans were recycled: this corresponds to a collection rate of 92% or 1.3 kilos per capita.aluminium can manufacturers are constantly innovating and reducing the weight of aluminium cans to make them more environmentally friendly. Today, depending on the size, only between eight and eleven grams of metal are needed for one can. That is significantly less than ten years ago.Aluminum, PET and glass comparableThe "Life Cycle Assessment of Beverage Packaging" study carried out on behalf of the FOEN (Federal Office for the Environment) by the environmental consultancy Carbotech AG, Basel, shows that cans have long been on a par with other beverage packaging. According to Dr. Fredy Dinkel, the complete recyclability, light weight and logistical advantages are the main reasons for the good eco-profile of the aluminum can, which today is absolutely comparable with other beverage packaging. This means that aluminum cans have an eco-profile comparable to that of PET bottles and returnable glass bottles, and once produced, aluminum is a raw material that can also be made available to future generations thanks to recycling. In general, however, Dr. Fredy Dinkel notes that today the packaging is less important for the ecological balance of a product than its contents. In most cases, the production of a foodstuff has a greater impact on the environment than its packaging.Unbreakable and lightweightMany producers justify the decision to package a beverage in aluminum with the many product advantages. Aluminum cans are unbreakable, easy to stack, cool drinks faster than other containers, are easy to transport, very light and provide ideal protection for the contents.Image cultivation necessaryUnfortunately, the good reputation that the can deserves is not yet fully anchored in the population. This was revealed by a recent online survey of around 1,000 respondents. Only around half of those surveyed, and especially younger consumers, are aware of the good environmental compatibility of aluminum cans and have a positive opinion of the beverage container (source: Management Tools Research AG, Beckenried). This means that aluminum can manufacturers and bottlers need to do something to improve their image.