Food Cans: Offering Value that Stands the Test of Time

Food cans have been a packaging staple for more than 200 years thanks to the convenience, nutrition and cost-effectiveness they deliver to consumers.

In the early 1800’s, chef Nicolas Appert created a food container with an airtight seal in response to Napoleon Bonaparte’s public call for a solution to reduce the spoilage of food consumed by the French army and navy. Appert experimented with a variety of vessels, including champagne bottles and cast iron containers, prior to developing the food can. The core attributes of the format that led to its initial success, including the ability to block light and oxygen and preserve food for extended periods of time, remain a critical factor in the food can’s continued relevance with brand owners and consumers.

While the core benefits of the food can have not changed, the format has evolved tremendously in terms of the convenience it offers. For example, food cans have become much easier to open with the introduction of technologies like Crown’s Easylift^™ easy-open ends. The ends feature significantly improved finger access under the tab to help consumers quickly and conveniently access their food without the need for can openers. Crown also offers cans in various convenient shapes and sizes and can collaborate with brands to create custom and unique graphics to provide the consumer with an unforgettable experience.

Every February, National Canned Food Month honors this iconic packaging format. Today, over 1,500 types of foods are packaged in cans, and thanks to continued innovation by companies like Crown, the format will continue to help redefine how consumers use and consume products for years to come.