Glass the clear winner: Beverage boss hails industry partnership

Glass container manufacturer O-I Glass has created Millie, a new glass packaging solution for drinks and snacks, after teaming up with the Australian Beverage Council, brand agency Voice and Monash University.

Millie was designed for consumers conscious of the 5+2-a-day recommended intake for fruit and vegetables.

As the winning design, Millie is being trialled by O-I, and has secured a consumer launch partner.

Students from the Monash University Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture presented ideas to O-I and Voice, which developed and refined their understanding, as well as experiencing the glass manufacturing environment by visiting an O-I plant.

O-I Australia New Zealand business development manager Bayard Sinnema said the challenge for the students was to work in groups, and create a solution for consumers to have a clear understanding that the drink helped meet their daily nutritional requirements.

“It was extra challenging for the students as the design needed to fit within our operational parameters, and packaging design parameters outlined by our design agency Voice, and also solve the real-world health problem of people meeting their daily recommended servings of fruit,” said Mr Sinnema.

Monash communication design students Katelin Eichner and Harrison Young went to O-I on internships to help develop a product and communications strategy for Millie.

The practical experience for the students through such industry engagement is essential for contemporary design schools, said Dr Gene Bawden, Monash University Department of Design interim head, where students were taught skills in communication, collaboration and pitching ideas.

“In practical terms, they were learning about a material that they can only access with a real company that manufactures it,” said Dr Bawden.

“You cannot pretend to know about glass unless you are actually working with it, such things as the shapes that are possible and an accurate understanding of quantities.”

“There were also other important lessons such as the constraints of closure systems, the language that’s used on labelling and legal requirements, and how to design for a range of different retail and operating systems. It’s not just about the product that the consumer picks up, it’s about how the project works in an entire system from manufacture to the store,” concluded Dr Bawden.

For further information about Millie, click here.

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Australian Beverages Council

The Australian Beverages Council is the peak body representing the collective interests of the non-alcoholic beverages industry. We strive to advance the industry as a whole, as well as successfully represent the range of beverages produced by our members. These include carbonated regular and diet soft drinks, energy drinks, sports and isotonic drinks, bottled and packaged waters, fruit juice and fruit drinks, cordials, iced teas, ready-to-drink coffees, flavoured milk and flavoured plant milk.

The unified voice of the Australian Beverages Council offers our members a presence beyond individual representation in order to promote fairness in the standards, regulations, and policies concerning non-alcoholic beverages.

The Australian Beverages Council introduced a dedicated juice division, Juice Australia (formerly Fruit Juice Australia), in 2009 and a dedicated water division, the Australasian Bottled Water Institute (ABWI), in 2011. Through these, our organisation, and its relevance and impact continue to grow.

For further information:
Shae Courtney
Australian Beverages Council
T: 02 8313 7760
M: 0420 736 136
E: Shae@ausbev.org