Packaging
Grolsch on tap – straight from your fridge
Wednesday 19. November 2008 - 2-litre PET solution for draft beer - patented "Cheersch" system
Sidel has supported Grolsch Netherlands (SABMiller Group) in the development of an innovative PET solution which allows consumers to enjoy the full “beer on tap” experience at home. The Grolsch product “Cheersch” is drafted from a handy two-liter bottle with a reusable tap kit. The PET bottle blow molded on Sidel equipment and patented by Grolsch can be resealed and kept inside a home fridge door for up to two weeks after opening.
When Grolsch approached Sidel in 2006 with a request to help design and produce draft beer packaging for home use, PET was not an obvious answer. PET-bottled beer had hitherto not been particularly successful in the Dutch market. Yet it proved to be the perfect material for a custom-made container tasked to cope with a tap-valve under high pressure while keeping beer fresh and fizzy. Using PET rather than other materials has many advantages. In contrast to glass, PET enables a custom-made bottle neck design which is necessary for a snug fit between bottle, valve, and tap unit. At the same time, PET can withstand the pressure necessary to allow drafting beer without electricity. The 2-liter bottle is lightweight and easy to handle.
The compact two-liter bottle is made from a special PET blend preform and produced on a Sidel blow moulding machine. The material and its custom-made seal mean a guaranteed shelf life of six months – exactly the same as with all other Grolsch containers (bottles and cans). The bottles are supplied with CO2 cartridges which enable the consumer to draft their Cheersch at the same pressure as the trade. The system uses a tap unit which only needs to be bought once and does not require electricity to work.
Sidel was chosen by Grolsch as the sole partner with responsibility for the whole line including sub-supplier Coster who produces the valve-inserter and closure unit. The Sidel line includes a Eurotronica FM-LT filler, a Rollquattro labeller, Robokombi palletizers and depalletizers, and conveyors. Close cooperation between Sidel and Grolsch enabled the product to come to market at an earlier date than originally planned, to allow for delivery in time for Fathers day and the European Championship in June 2008.