The bar is now open. Zenpack designed an innovative unlocking system for a premium unboxing experience. Drinkworks is one of beverage tech pioneer Keurig’s latest innovations — a machine that uses the company’s proprietary pods to prepare cocktails, ciders, beers, and other alcoholic beverages. They presented Zenpack with a simple brief: Design a package that’s easy for consumers to open. Pretty straightforward, but considering that the machine itself is large and heavy, it gets more complicated. Additionally, multiple components in this package needed to be stored and organized in a secure and attractive way. When Keurig first approached Zenpack, they were on a very tight launch schedule and needed a brand new packaging concept quickly. Zenpack’s team helped the Drinkworks lab create a clear layout of the item display inside the box and secure all the components — even the CO2 cartridge. The award-winning, patented lock system makes even this huge box easy to open, and as an added benefit, this home appliances packaging design looks nice on the shelf, too. The first challenge was engineering the outer box to make it easy to open while also securing and protecting almost 30 lbs of products. The machine and other components — like the beverage pods and CO2 cartridge — needed protection, but they also had to display well when the box was opened. Like the Drinkworks slogan claims — “All the drinks without the work!” — the unboxing experience needed to be simple and satisfying. The client wanted Zenpack to create a locking system that was both noticeable and easy to open. Adding to the design team’s challenge, they needed to create the mechanism cheaply and efficiently to stay on the client’s tight schedule. The two-sided lock secures the product and reduces the time and number of steps involved in unboxing. Most importantly, the machine is well protected by a molded pulp tray that clearly displays all the components. Zenpack’s design team focused considerable time and energy into designing a new locking system made with PP material. The final design easily opens by twisting counterclockwise. The two-sided lock secures the product and reduces the time and number of steps involved in unboxing the product. Most importantly, the machine is well protected by a molded pulp tray that clearly displays all the components. Protecting the product is something that our packaging design services always take into account. After Zenpack finalized the package design, Drinkworks patented the lock design for continued use with this product line. The client said of Zenpack, “They have excellent design, prototyping, and testing capabilities in-house. Additionally, their breadth of leading-edge manufacturing and printing capabilities is world class. One particular strength is their industrial design creativity & expertise which they incorporate into package designs to ensure the consumer experience is considered and maximized.” This package design also won the 2019 AmeriStar Award for Household Products from the Institute of Packaging Professionals and a 2019 IDEA Bronze Award from the Industrial Design Society of America (IDSA). Above all, Zenpack helped their client succeed by effectively introducing the new look of the Drinkworks Drinkmaker Home Bar.
Drinkworks
Award-winning packaging design and engineering for Keurig’s new product line
The Problem
The Outcome
Challenges
Solution
Result
