Tropicana, HDPE 2.78 qt. (2.63 lt.) with a resealable flip-cap

Tropicana offers its products in a variety of package formats around the world. Here in the US, larger packages with handles are quite prevalent in the market. Between the ½ gallon and one gallon sizes, Tropicana has this oddly sized HDPE package.

Apart from its odd capacity, there is nothing unusual about the package. The closure, however, is a flip-cap instead of the usual screw cap. While that alone is rather new and innovative, the real innovation is somewhat invisible to the consumer. The flip-cap is actually resealable, instead of being merely recloseable. That means that the package can be stored in the fridge, once opened, on its side, without leakage.

Why would you need a flip-cap? It is typically easier to open and it also delivers better distribution efficiency due to its lower cap height. Arguably, it can be made using less plastic than a screw cap, depending on the design and size.

The Flip Cap Closure

There are so many well-designed details with this closure. It has an opening assist (by pressing the center of the cap down), which would be rather useful for reduced dexterity populations. For the rest of us, the flip-cap opens normally using the lid-tab.

We found the pull-tab inside the flip-cap rather difficult to remove. The sharp pointy tabs around the edges also create the possibility of lacerations during opening. The pull-tab has an aluminum foil liner inside to control oxygen transfer rate prior to opening. This is a two-step opening, which requires more time and effort.

The double-hinge in the back of the flip-cap is designed to accommodate the taller closure structure and facilitates a good seal. Single-hinged designs typically suffer from uneven closing pressures that result in leakages.

The flip-cap also has a cleverly designed pouring lip. Thanks to its elliptical hole design, there is hardly any gulping or gurgling present during pouring.

During the first pour there was spillage due to the initial rush-out; this was unexpected. Also, the initial removal of the pull-ring required excessive force.

Regarding reseability, we did not see any issues whatsoever. It seals well thanks to its rather well-designed seal. We also like the reassuring tactile feedback of the closing snap.