Amcor introduces inverted serving concept for wet pet food

Amcor and Chinese premium pet food brand Ge Wu An have launched a new inverted cup format designed to simplify the serving of wet pet food and improve the consumer experience.

The Li Kou cup represents the first commercial deployment of this type of inverted packaging format in China, according to Amcor.

Instead of requiring consumers to scoop wet food from a can or conventional cup, the new system allows the entire portion to be released directly into the feeding bowl in one piece.

Bottom seal changes the way the pack is opened

The key feature is a removable seal incorporated into the bottom of the container.

Consumers peel the top, invert the cup, open the lower seal and lift the pack away, allowing the wet food to drop cleanly into the bowl.

The design aims to reduce food residue left behind in the package and eliminate the need to scrape the contents out manually.

Polypropylene cup replaces traditional aluminium can

The integrated packaging system combines a polypropylene cup body with top lidding film and a separate bottom seal film.

Amcor and Ge Wu An developed the format partly as an alternative to conventional aluminium cans commonly used for wet pet food.

The plastic cup structure is lighter and uses less packaging material per unit, which can also reduce transport weight throughout distribution.

Design addresses common consumer frustrations

The development process focused on practical problems associated with traditional wet pet food packaging.

Metal cans can present issues such as broken pull rings, sharp edges after opening and significant amounts of food remaining on the inner walls.

By redesigning both the container and opening sequence, the Li Kou format aims to create a cleaner and more convenient feeding process for pet owners.

Packaging becomes part of the feeding experience

The project illustrates how pet food packaging is increasingly being designed around consumer interaction rather than containment alone.

Convenience features such as portion control, easy opening and clean product release can play an important role in differentiation within the rapidly premiumising pet food category.

For brands, these structural elements can also help create more distinctive consumer experiences without changing the food formulation itself.

Development took more than a year

The concept was developed through Amcor's Catalyst innovation platform, which brought the packaging supplier and Ge Wu An together from the early stages of product development.

The two companies spent more than a year converting the initial consumer need into a commercially viable packaging system.

The development combined Ge Wu An's knowledge of wet pet food and consumer behaviour with Amcor's capabilities in rigid and flexible packaging.

Pet food packaging continues to move beyond conventional cans

The launch reflects broader experimentation across pet food packaging, where pouches, trays and other lightweight formats are increasingly competing with traditional metal cans.

While material efficiency remains important, brands are also focusing more closely on opening behaviour, serving convenience and product presentation.

With Li Kou, Amcor and Ge Wu An demonstrate how structural packaging design can become a differentiating element in premium wet pet food, turning the opening process itself into part of the product experience.