In time for St. Patrick’s Day 2008, Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey is returning to tradition with the launch of crock packaging. The ceramic crock features a white base with gold inscription, traditional green neck and cork stopper. The ceramic packaging design pays homage to original packaging used for whiskey prior to glass bottling, says the brand, which is marketed in the United States by Skyy Spirits LLC. The Tullamore Dew crock is available for a suggested retail price of $32.99.

Labatt USA, Buffalo, N.Y., introduced a special-edition “Real Hockey” 24-bottle pack complete with a fleece hockey-helmet shaped toque, which is a type of hat. The 24-packs of Labatt Blue and Labatt Blue Light hit shelves last month and are aimed at “true blue” hockey fans. The pack will be available this winter from participating retailers.

U.S. label shipments are forecast to increase 5.1 percent annually, according to “Labels” a new study by The Freedonia Group Inc., Cleveland. The report predicts labels will be an $18.3 billion industry by 2011. It also forecasts the best opportunities for the pressure-sensitive labels, although stretch-sleeve and heat-shrink labels are reported to advance rapidly as well. The stretch and shrink segments may increase in use due to the popularity of large beverage packaging. While paper will continue to be a large part of the market, the report predicts paper labels slowly will lose market share in favor of the aesthetic and performance benefits provided by plastic labels.

Dooley’s Original Toffee Cream Liqueur debuts a new label, bottle design and marketing message this year in the United States. The bottle’s shape has changed and now features a sleeker neck and shoulders with a navy, red and gold label. The new look is designed to win over a younger generation as well as position Dooley’s as an all-occasion liqueur, says Dooley’s maker, Behn Originals, Kansas City, Mo. Pastry chefs are another target for the cream liqueur, which is made with natural flavors and a vodka base.

Exal Corp., Youngstown, Ohio, announced the successful implementation of its coil-to-can (C2C) process. The new generation C2C D&I high-speed line is operational in Ohio and produces aluminum bottles at half the weight of traditional aluminum offerings. In addition to having a lighter weight, the bottles use more than 60 percent post-consumer recycled content. The lighter bottles initially launched in Canada with alcohol energy drink brand Octane 7 and offer the marketer an advantage of lower lead time and lower costs, Exal says. The corporation also recently completed a 170,000-square-foot addition to its Youngstown facility to accommodate the addition of four extrusion lines that are capable of producing 100 million units a year. The addition is Exal’s third in four years.
— Exal USA, One Performance Place, Youngstown, Ohio 44502; 330/744-2267; www.exal.com