As Rexam’s matt-over varnish continues to grow in popularity amongst brands wanting to add a premium look to their products, Appletiser puts the technique to further use to give the packaging for its apple-, grape- and pear-flavoured beverages a more sophisticated and eye catching look.

The 330ml cans, which will be sold in UK grocery, wholesale and education & workplace channels from the beginning of November, use Rexam’s innovative added value technique of matt-over varnish. The technique, which gives the can a matt finish, is applied after the body of the can has been printed and gives the package a premium look and feel, compared to the standard cans consumers are more familiar with.

When asked why the brand chose to use this particular technique on its UK packaging, Andy Thompson, Senior Brand Manager at Coca-Cola Enterprises, commented: “Matt-over varnish is used as standard on our Appletiser range across the rest of the world and we wanted to bring the UK products in line with the premium look and feel we achieve globally.”

He went on to say “For us, the can works well because it is a convenient package and is widely accepted by our consumers. By adding the matt -over varnish, we create an impact at point of sale which highlights us in a busy market area and appeals to the sensory needs of our female, 25 – 45 year old target market.”

Matt-over varnish was first introduced by Rexam in 2005 and has been used by many other major brands all wanting to create a premium effect.

Stephen Howell, Breakthrough Innovations Manager at Rexam, is not surprised that brands, including Appletiser, understand the benefits of this technique: “Matt-over varnish is a simple way to make a beverage can stand out from the crowd. All of our added value innovations are designed to allow brands to use their packaging to enhance their brand - this is a paramount service for us to offer at Rexam. The matt look continues to gain in popularity with a variety of brands and we are always working to develop the capabilities.  At present we are working with brands to maximise the impact matt finishes can have and ensure our varnishes and inks work in harmony with the design of the can.”