PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Fred Meyer is one of the
first retailers in the nation to introduce a revolutionary new product that is
expected to change an entire industry's packaging standards.
The product is Dutch Boy Paint. The packaging breakthrough is its new
"Twist & Pour" paint container that has customers saying, "Why didn't anyone
think of this before?"
What the buzz is all about is a square, all-plastic paint container
featuring an easy twist-off lid, comfortable side handle, and convenient pour
spout. The new container eliminates the need for screwdrivers, paint keys, or
other tools frequently used to open paint cans while providing a tight seal to
extend the shelf life of any unused paint.
For years, the only thing worse than watching paint dry was trying to pry
open the can. Then not spill it all over the place. Or close the can back up
without splattering. That is, until now.
Customers love the exterior molded handle that allows for a more
controlled pour and easier carrying. The convenient pour spout dramatically
reduces the spilling and dripping typically associated with traditional paint
cans. The new container is more lightweight and durable than typical paint
cans and will not rust or dent over time.
"Customers tell us the new Twist & Pour paint container is a packaging
innovation that is long overdue," Dennis Eckols, group vice president of the
Home Division for Fred Meyer, said. "They wonder why it took so long for
someone to come up with the idea and love Dutch Boy for doing it. Fred Meyer
is excited to be one of the first stores around the country to be given the
opportunity to introduce this great new container to the public."
A high-quality interior coating from the Dutch Boy Dirt Fighter(R) line
is the first paint available at Fred Meyer in the new Twist & Pour container.
It is tintable in over 900 colors.
To mix all those colors, Dutch Boy had to install adaptors on the paint
mixing machines at all the Fred Meyer stores in five states to accommodate the
change in shape of the container from round to square. That installation is
complete at all the stores. Fred Meyer can now provide all the custom colors
available.
"Not only do customers love the new container, we do, too, at Fred Meyer
for a number of very practical business reasons," Eckols said. "For example,
we can put more products on the shelf in the same space. Dutch Boy tells us
the new Twist & Pour paint container can mean as much as an eight percent
increase in shelf holding power, with 14 linear facings of Twist & Pour paint
containers taking up the same space previously occupied by 13 metal cans. The
new container also makes a strong visual impression. Its square shape and
integrated handle make it easier to carry, stack, and display. And the new
twist-off and resealable lid speeds up the tinting process by opening and
closing more quickly and dispensing color faster."
Fred Meyer says the new container is truly historic. "We believe the
Dutch Boy Twist & Pour paint container will join an elite list of great
packaging breakthroughs that stood alone when first introduced and now are
industry standards," Eckols said.
Here is a sampling of a few of those breakthroughs:
-- Kleenex introduced a new pop-up carton in 1928 to dispense individual
sheets of facial tissue. With a sheet always ready, it was easier and
neater for the consumer to use, with much less waste.
-- Pennzoil revolutionized how motor oil is packaged and dispensed by
replacing the metal paperboard can with a plastic container that was
easier to pour, required no awkward tools, and was resealable.
-- After introducing the first liquid laundry soap, Tide created a
radically new packaging concept in the form of a plastic jug with
built-in measuring cap and drip-proof, easy-to-pour spout.
-- Miracle Gro combined product and dispenser in a new system for
dispensing plant food and pesticides. Simply attach a garden hose to
the container and spray.
-- As more women entered the workforce, Swanson changed the way Americans
ate dinner in 1954 with the first "TV dinner" that featured a single,
divided aluminum tray containing an entree, side dish, and vegetable.
That tray has been on display since 1986 at the Smithsonian Institute.
-- Jiffy Pop introduced pre-measured popcorn, salt, and oil packaged in an
expandable foil container that was used to prepare the popcorn on the
stove. That breakthrough served as the precursor to microwave popcorn.
-- The juice box was developed in the 1980s in another successful
combination of package and dispenser. An expert panel from the
Institute of Food Technologists "ranked the aseptic packages and the
process behind them as the most significant food science innovation of
the (previous) 50 years."
You can see the revolutionary new Twist & Pour container by Dutch Boy
either by visiting a Fred Meyer paint department at stores in Oregon,
Washington, Alaska, Idaho, and Utah or by logging on to the Dutch Boy web page
at http://www.dutchboy.com.
Fred Meyer Stores is based in Portland, Oregon and features 132 large
multidepartment stores in five western states that offer one-stop shopping for
a wide range of food, apparel, and general merchandise products. Fred Meyer
is a division of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), which is one of the largest food
retailers in the United States.
SOURCE Fred Meyer
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Related links:
http://www.fredmeyerstores.com
CONTACT:
Rob Boley of Fred Meyer, +1-503-797-7176
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