Welcome summer!

Liquid Management Partners, the manufacturer of Liquid Ice Energy Drink, announced the launch of its first seasonal packaging: Liquid Ice America. With its red, white and blue patriotic packaging, Liquid Ice America will be available throughout the summer in 12-ounce cans at participating retailers in more than 40 states through select Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola distributors. To celebrate the launch, consumers are invited to participate in the Liquid Ice America Online Contest for a chance to win thousands of prizes for their own summer adventure. To enter the contest, fans must share their America moments by posting a photo of themselves enjoying a Liquid Ice Energy Drink along with their favorite summer activity. Each photo shared must include the hashtag #LiquidIceAmerica. “We at Liquid Ice are proud to be the best-tasting energy drink on the market. To release our first-ever seasonal package, we wanted to combine our best-tasting energy drink with a timeless design that is equally unique and patriotic,” Liquid Ice Energy’s President Michael H. Lam said in a statement.

Craft beer in cans

For the first time in its 30-year history, Lakefront Brewery is releasing its crowd favorite and No. 1 selling Riverwest Stein Amber Lager in cans, the company says. Twelve-packs of 12-ounce cans started hitting store shelves during Memorial Day weekend, and 16-ounce cans launched in the first week of July, the company says. “Putting a craft beer in cans was unthinkable when we started. Now, it’s becoming the norm. We’re actually a bit late to the game, but that’s OK,” said Russ Klisch, co-founder and owner of Lakefront Brewery, in a statement. Driven by the fact that cans are portable and perfect for ballparks, picnics, beaches or anywhere else consumers want to go, Lakefront Brewery plans to release other brews in cans, it says. To keep up with a changing market, the brewery also has been retooling its brand with a logo update, refreshed graphics and new releases, including a Lakefront Pils due to launch later this summer.

Cheers for the red, white and blue

With summer officially here, Riboli Family Wine Estates announced the release of its Stella Rosa Black and Stella Rosa Platinum in limited-edition, patriotic packaging. The inaugural patriotic packaging will be available in 750-ml bottles at retailers nationwide while supplies last for a suggested retail price of $11.95.

Honoring military families

To celebrate and honor members of the military, Dollar General and The Coca-Cola Co.’s flagship brand released a new Share a Coke patriotic can series honoring service members, veterans and their families, the companies say. Dollar General is exclusively offering the Coca-Cola Share a Coke military 16-ounce can collection through Labor Day. Each 16-ounce can retails for $1 and allows consumers to salute a veteran, service member, military spouse, military mom or military dad. The patriotic cans also commemorate Coca-Cola’s partnership with the United Service Organizations (USO) by prominently featuring the USO badge. During the campaign, consumers are encouraged to recognize and thank the military community on social media by posting their message and a photo of themselves with one of the military Coca-Cola cans using the hashtag #CokeDGSupportMilitary, the companies say. Consumers also are encouraged to be a force behind the forces by sending a message to service members through the USO at destinationcoke.com. The USO will display the messages at USO locations globally. In appreciation for the USO’s work, Dollar General and Coca-Cola also plan to make a $25,000 donation to the USO at the conclusion of the campaign in September.

Premium packaging

Blue Ice Vodka unveiled new packaging for its self-titled vodka that reflects the authenticity, simplicity and modernism of the brand while keeping the premium handcrafted potato vodka true to its original recipe, the company says. Although the new packaging has a fresh and modern aesthetic, many of its design elements were inspired by the brand’s heritage. “Blue Ice Vodka has always been a premium product with rich history, so we’re thrilled to be debuting a new packaging that invokes a true made-in-America feel,” said Thomas Gibson, president of 21st Century Spirits, in a statement. Inspired by pre-prohibition-era bottles, the new packaging includes a simple and smooth exterior; a long neck for pouring ease; and a new label featuring the brand’s logo, an inset embossment of Idaho’s state emblem and an inspection seal with the master distiller’s initials, the company says. The embossed font around the base states that Blue Ice Vodka is produced in Rigby, Idaho. A new label notes that the product is gluten free and provides information about the ingredients and quality process.