Food Manufacturer Attributes Sales Growth to Gravy Packaged in Beer Cans

A food manufacturing company has stated that utilizing beer cans for gravy facilitated its expansion from a home kitchen operation to being stocked on supermarket shelves. Potts’, established in Swindon, Wiltshire, in 2007, implemented a method of packaging its stocks and sauces in cans resembling beer containers in 2019. Ian Butt, a co-founder of Potts’, informed BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours programme that growth had seen substantial improvement following the introduction of this innovative packaging, a practice now known as “chaos packaging.” He stated, “We always wanted to increase our recyclability and traditionally, products like ours are sold in plastic pouches or glass jars.” He added, “The supermarkets are delighted. Our buyers want to help push sustainability, so it’s been a good opportunity for us to challenge the current format.” Currently, Potts’ gravies and cooking sauces are available in all prominent supermarkets. The company sells approximately 2.5 million cans of gravy each year, with canned items collectively accounting for roughly half of its total business operations. Mr. Butt mentioned that Potts’ drew inspiration from the innovative approaches observed in the craft beer sector. He commented, “There was a huge rise of interesting craft beer cans. That product was always stored in brown bottles with labels.” He further explained, “We thought, because we make liquid products, that there must be a way to make this packaging method work.” Nevertheless, the concept encountered challenges. Mr. Butt indicated that they soon identified difficulties associated with packaging thicker, liquid food items in cans. He stated, “We had to develop a bespoke method to dispense our stocks and sauces into cans.” He added, “The process is a world-first, as far as we are aware.” The approach of presenting a product in packaging that consumers would not ordinarily anticipate has been termed “chaos packaging.” Michael Miraflor, a California-based marketing consultant, originated this term on X earlier this year, noting that this technique is applied across various industries. Mr. Miraflor informed the BBC that “New brands are disrupting their categories by using unexpected packaging.” He elaborated, “Savvy brands and their founders have found ways to leverage interesting and delightful, or sometimes confusing and chaotic packaging that can earn free media in the industry.” He clarified, “That’s, basically, impressions on social media. “It gives consumers something to talk about and share at a relatively low cost.” Here We Flo, a company based in London, also employs this strategy, offering its organic tampons in biodegradable ice cream tubs. Co-Founder Tara Chandra explained to BBC Radio 4 You and Yours that their packaging can inadvertently create more confusion than intended, as individuals occasionally place the product in the freezer by mistake. Ms. Chandra stated, “I, personally, really crave ice cream when I’m on my period and know that a lot of people do.” She added, “We thought it would be funny to package the item like this as a nod to period cravings.” Globally, other brands are similarly marketing their products using “chaos packaging.” Moschino offers a perfume in a bottle designed to resemble a cleaning product, and an American firm sells sunscreen in a container styled like a can of whipped cream. The founders of the Swiss coffee company, No Normal Coffee, opted to sell their coffee in a tube after identifying an unmet market need. On their website, the two friends characterized themselves as enthusiastic explorers, stating they conceived the idea while desiring coffee during mountain hikes. They observed that conventional instant options lacked taste, while other formats were too cumbersome for portability. Regarding Potts’, when questioned about potential shopper confusion due to the packaging, Mr. Butt responded that any bewilderment frequently benefited them by distinguishing chaos-packaged items from competitors. He remarked, “When shoppers look at it they often do a double-take and wonder if it’s beer or a beverage.” He continued, “We’re really lucky as we’ve had a few viral posts about the gravy.” He concluded, “We have this world-first packaging, which helps drive a lot of interest without having to utilise the same size budget as the big boys.” Mr. Butt stated that Potts’ intends to expand its Swindon-based operations by entering international markets. He confirmed, “We’re talking to major retailers in Europe, the US and Australia. There’s a big focus on that now.” Readers can follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding its approach to external linking is available.