Coca-Cola's healthy alternative to soda - New packages: food beverage pharmaceutical medical HBA - Swerve - Brief Article

Food & Drug Packaging, Oct, 2003

School kids will be the first consumers to taste Coca-Cola Swerve--a dairy product that will initially be available only in school vending machines. Swerve, which comes in an 11-ounce can, contains just over 50% milk, which allows the product to carry the "real" dairy seal administered by the American Dairy Association (ADA).

Swerve is filled and retorted for sterilization and is shelf-stable for up to nine months.

The Swerve can is branded with a cartoon cow in shades with attitude that reflects the taste of the product while conveying fun. Coca-Cola's goal with Swerve was to create a milk drink kids would think is cool. The graphics on the can--supplied by Bali Corp.--were designed in-house.

Swerve varieties are unlike the flavors typically found in dairy-based drinks. Flavors include Bloo, a blend of blueberry and strawberry, and Vanana, a vanilla-banana mix. A chocolate flavor is also available. With the same number of calories as an 8-ounce serving of low-fat chocolate milk (about 150 calories per can), Swerve is cholesterol-free and supplies 30% of the recommended daily intake of calcium and vitamins A and C.

Ball Corp. 303-469-3131; www.ball.com