Amidst a competitive field of creative solutions displayed in the London Packaging Week Innovation Gallery, thousands of attendees voted Cool>Can™ their favourite innovation from this year’s showcase. The solution marks a genuine world-first: a shelf-ready, fully commercialised self-cooling can, developed in partnership with Brains Brewery of Cardiff.
Cool>Can™ helps users enjoy a chilled beverage without requiring a fridge or cooler, using a simple push-button mechanism to activate an endothermic reaction within the can’s walls. This rapidly cools the can and its contents by 10–15°C within 60 seconds, creating a practical solution for on-the-go refreshment. As the cooling reaction uses a mix of water and a patented salt formula, the entire can is fully recyclable.
The innovation was developed by Welsh inventor James Vyse and claimed first place ahead of MYPACK’s 100% Compostable Cosmetic Packaging solution and MonoBox’s streamlined premium gift box, which finished second and third respectively.
James was delighted with the result, saying, “Winning the public vote at London Packaging Week means the world to us. Cool>Can™ has been years in the making, and to see the public respond so enthusiastically - particularly on the same day as its commercial debut with Brains - is a real validation of everything the team has worked so hard to achieve. The journey to get here has been extraordinary, and this is just the beginning. We're now focused on scaling the technology and bringing Cool>Can™ to more brands and consumers around the world.”
The award is just the latest addition to the legacy of Welsh beer. Wales was the first country outside the US to manufacture canned beer in 1935, and now it has become the home of the first commercialised self-cooling can.
The 2026 Innovation Gallery featured an expanded selection of 26 shortlisted developments from exhibitors across luxury, beauty, drinks and FMCG. Curated by an expert judging panel featuring senior packaging and innovation specialists from ThePackHub, Suntory, Haleon, Mars Wrigley and Fever-Tree, the showcase brought together advances in materials, manufacturing, sustainability, structural design and consumer experience.
Second place went to MYPACK’s 100% Compostable Cosmetic Packaging, while MonoBox’s streamlined premium gift box took third, with both solutions demonstrating a strong understanding of evolving consumer expectations around functionality, sustainability and design. MYPACK's 100% Compostable Cosmetic Packaging uses a natural limestone CaCO₃ composite as an alternative to virgin fossil-based plastics. Designed for luxury beauty and personal care product applications, the material offers a natural premium matte finish without solvent coatings, combining the company's stated environmental credentials with the aesthetic qualities expected of high-end cosmetics packaging.
MonoBox is a patent-pending reimagining of the traditional retail gift and storage box that challenges the assumption that premium packaging requires more materials, components and complexity to create impact.
Beyond the top three, the 26-strong shortlist demonstrated the breadth of innovation taking place across the packaging industry. Standout finalists included Holmen Elevate, billed as the world’s first ultra-lightweight kraftliner and starting at just 72gsm; The Sovereign Bottle, the first British-made sparkling wine bottle; NutraCap™, a fibre-based alternative to plastic caps designed as a drop-in solution for existing production lines; and FS-HS Tunnel, a carbon-neutral shrink tunnel designed to reduce energy use by up to 80% and water consumption by 95%. Other notable developments ranged from ZEROBOX’s modular, reusable delivery packaging and Ranpak’s recyclable paper-based RecyCold Climaliner to new decoration, dispensing and refill technologies for the luxury and beauty markets.
Visitors were invited to explore the innovations as part of a popular series of guided tours before casting their votes by tapping their event badges against their preferred solutions. Unlike the main London Packaging Week Innovation Awards, the Gallery's overall winner was determined by the professionals attending the exhibition.
Sema Tezel Basbug, Head of Marketing at London Packaging Week, felt the quality of innovations on show at the event was a promising sign for the future of the packaging industry, saying, “We all know the challenges the industry has faced in recent years – regulatory changes, material shortages, and supply chain disruption to name but a few – so it’s incredibly positive to see such a rich vein of creativity running through the sector. The strength of this year’s shortlist made it incredibly difficult for attendees to choose their favourite.
“Cool>Can™ captured the imagination of our visitors and is a hugely deserving winner, but the quality across the entire Gallery was exceptional. The bar has been set incredibly high, and I’m excited to see how businesses across the sector work to clear it in future shows.”
To explore more insights from the biggest-ever London Packaging Week, or to register your interest in London Packaging Week 2027, taking place at Excel London on 22–23 September 2027, visit www.londonpackagingweek.com.