“Fruit Shoot”

• Immediately before launch in March 2000, Britvic became aware of the potential for the ‘sports’ cap being detached by young children in normal use.
• The launch was stopped immediately and a programme of testing initiated.
  Pira was asked to develop a test rig that enabled repeatable testing to be carried out that simulated biting and twisting.
• The rig enabled Britvic to benchmark their original cap against a range of products available from other manufacturers and develop a revised cap design with superior performance.
• ‘Fruit Shoot’ was successfully re-launched in August 2000.
• This rotational opening force test now forms part of the British Soft Drinks Association Code of Practice for Sports Closures.

“Self-heating can”

• In the summer of 2000, Nestlé UK in partnership with Thermotic Developments approached Pira with a prototype self-heating can.
• Given the novelty of the pack format and the lack of consumer experience with such technology, Nestlé required independent assessment of any risk to the consumer through a process of brainstorming and practical laboratory evaluation. Pira proposed areas for improvement and concluded that with the appropriate modifications the can could be marketed as a safe and convenient product.
• Nestlé ‘hot when you want’ coffee was successfully launched in May 2001.