Self-chilling can innovation stirs beverage industry

For decades, beverage giants such as Coca-Cola, Carlsberg and Heineken have poured millions into the pursuit of a self-cooling can — only to meet failure. Now, against all odds, an independent entrepreneur has succeeded where they fell short. James Vyse, a former London mixologist, spent years perfecting cocktails in high-end venues, frustrated by drinks warming before they were finished. The idea struck him: why must beverages rely on refrigeration? Why couldn’t they chill themselves? Big corporations had tried and failed, but Vyse believed the answer lay not in billion-dollar labs but in persistence. With no engineering background and working from his bedroom, he began experimenting with prototypes. More than 500 iterations later, he cracked it.

The cool can

The result is the Cool Can — a self-chilling beverage can, capable of reducing its temperature from room temperature to ice-cold in under two minutes at the press of a button. No electricity. No external cooling. Fully recyclable. Consumers simply press the bottom of the can to have their drink cooled with a snowflake image appearing once the desired temperature is reached. Vyse's company, Delta H Innovations, surveyed 100 students at Nottingham Trent University and found that 81% would choose a self-cooling can over a normal can when intending to drink on the go, while 73% would pay more if it meant having a cold drink. The technology can also be used in other forms of drink packaging, including pouches, cartons and bottles, which Delta H Innovations hopes to sell to other businesses. The innovation has already caught the industry’s attention:

• Coca-Cola, Suntory America, Carlsberg and M&S have expressed interest
• A crowdfunding campaign more than doubled its initial target, raising £300,000

The technology presents a potential sustainability shift, reducing reliance on refrigeration, which accounts for 17% of global electricity consumption.

Disrupting the status quo

Vyse’s breakthrough challenges the conventional beverage supply chain, offering an on-demand cooling solution that could transform everything from festivals to luxury cocktail bars. With patents filed and industry leaders taking notice, the self-chilling can may prove to be the most significant packaging innovation since the aluminium can itself. The business is now scaling production, with plans to bring the Cool Can to market in the near future. The mixologist who refused to accept the ‘impossible’ has not only changed the way drinks are served — he may have just changed the industry itself.