The design expertise and manufacturing flexibility of Berry Global’s Agile Solutions were instrumental in the fast development and bringing to market a fully recyclable 150ml bottle produced by Berry Agile Solutions for M&S Food’s X ZOE Gut Shot.

Developed by M&S Food in conjunction with nutrition science company ZOE, the new shot combines ZOE's scientific research with trusted M&S quality ingredients to create a delicious daily shot packed with over five billion live cultures from 14 strains of bacteria.

Yeo Valley Production Ltd., producer of Yeo Valley Organic – Britain’s largest organic brand – was selected to produce the shot. The company was already being supplied with 250 and 500ml bottles by Berry and required a 150ml version in a similar design, with a 38mm wide neck and three start UCS (Uncarbonated Soft Drink), to ensure fast-filling compatibility with the other sizes on the Yeo Valley filling lines.

Working closely with Yeo Valley, Berry’s design team was able to rapidly customise the shape of the larger bottles into the new 150ml size, ensuring a fast development to meet the deadlines set by M&S. The process of initial discussions to consumer launch took just four months.

“A speedy turnaround was critical for this project,” said William Gledhill, Packaging Buyer for Yeo Valley. “Berry provided an exemplary service, pulling out all the stops in creating a high-quality bottle which met all our requirements.”

Berry used an existing preform tooling for the 38mm neck, speeding up the development process by only requiring one new mould. As a further example of the company’s responsiveness, Berry produced 3D models of the bottle ahead of production to provide samples for the M&S marketing team to use for their photography.

The white PET bottle, recyclable where appropriate collection schemes exist, incorporates 50 percent post-consumer recycled (PCR) material. It features a tamper-evident tethered closure with an easy turn and lift opening and closing for maximum consumer convenience.

“The project is an excellent demonstration of our collaborative approach to new pack development,” commented Joe Horton, Sales Director at Berry Global.

“Close liaison and an open working partnership with all parties were crucial to its success, while our full-service design and manufacturing capabilities enabled us to ensure an on-time launch for this exciting new product.”