ADF Innovation Awards Spotlight | Meadow KAPSUL™

April 10, 2025

In December 2024, an esteemed panel of judges, including brands such as KAO, Beiersdorf, Unilever, and many others, came together to evaluate entries for the ADF Innovation Awards. The winners of the ADF Innovation Awards 2025 were announced, celebrated, and honoured at ADF Paris, as part of Paris Packaging Week in January 2025.

Concept of the Year

Please describe the concept you are entering. What does it do? What problem does it solve? Where are its potential applications?

The Meadow KAPSUL™ revolutionises packaging by transforming aluminium beverage cans into versatile prefill containers. This innovative solution addresses the pressing issue of waste generated by linear packaging systems.

By modifying the can’s end with precision engineering, we enable its use across diverse sectors, including personal care, beauty, home care, food, and beyond. Paired with a reusable dispenser that brands can customise through licensing, it has proven to deliver an exceptionally convenient and intuitive refill experience for users. Its unique twist-to-open mechanism minimises user effort, making it easy to operate and recycle.

Additionally, the Meadow KAPSUL™ reduces raw material consumption and lightens the can by eliminating the traditional pull tab. The result is a mess-free, premium prefill experience for consumers, while providing brands the flexibility to align the solution with their identity.

Please describe how the product has been developed and explain why it is a significant innovation.

The development of our product centres on the beverage can, a well-established container optimised over decades. This aluminium can is highly recyclable and familiar to consumers, making it one of the most recycled packaging globally. Our innovation involved minimal changes to facilitate quick adoption across various industries. We removed the pull tab and introduced a unique crimped end, providing visual and tactile cues for different usage. This design, combined with our new opening technology, allows the can to serve multiple purposes beyond beverages.

To create the opening mechanism, we analysed grip strength data to determine the necessary force for opening. Our team of designers and engineers collaborated with DRT, the inventors of the pull tab, refining the parameters for optimal performance. This process culminated in the Meadow End, a simple yet disruptive innovation that enhances the versatility of the beverage can while maintaining its optimal characteristics.

Has the pack been tested and proven in a production environment?

The technical development of the Meadow KAPSUL™ has been an iterative process, emphasising continuous improvement and consumer feedback. We invested thousands of hours in testing and refining our product. Collaborating with DRT, a high-precision tooling manufacturer, we ensured that the can ends meet industrial standards for success, achieving production speeds of up to 3,000 units per minute with minimal failure rates.

The Meadow End is designed for efficient large-scale manufacturing. To facilitate a swift and scalable launch, we partnered with Ball Corporation, leveraging their 140+ years of expertise in the aluminium can industry. Both Ball and Meadow are dedicated to advancing the circular agenda, with plans to bring this innovative solution to market at scale.

Why do you believe this pack deserves to win an Innovation Award?

The Meadow KAPSUL™ has exceptional potential to accelerate the adoption of circular packaging among global consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands, making a significant impact on the waste crisis. This innovative packaging technology is readily available and offers a circular solution without compromise.

For consumers, it provides unmatched convenience and intuitiveness, driving interest and enhancing repurchase intentions. It also has the ability to attract new customers to brands.

For brand owners, the Meadow KAPSUL™ offers a cost-effective route to meet sustainability targets, creating clear opportunities for differentiation. The solution can be customised by clients when licensing the technology, allowing for tailored branding that aligns with their specific market needs. This combination of benefits makes the Meadow KAPSUL™ a deserving candidate for the Innovation Award.