Category: Press Releases

New innovation makes opening jam jars easy

A new innovation for glass jar lids is set to bring welcome relief to anyone who relies on tea towels, hot water or a strong partner every time they are faced with opening a jar of their favourite preserve.

Duerr’s, the independent jam maker, is introducing the innovative Orbit^TM lid across their range of jams and marmalades nationwide following a successful trial in Morrisons stores.

Consumer response to the new lids was overwhelmingly positive. While 100% of survey respondents found the Orbit lid easier to open than a normal jar, 86% considered it ‘much easier’.

The simple mechanism, developed by Crown Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCK), a world leader in metal packaging, reduces the effort required to get the jar open. The appearance of the Orbit^TM lid is very similar to a normal twist-off lid, but it is actually in two parts: a central panel is sealed to the jar by vacuum, and an outer ring is screwed in place to provide further protection.

To open the jar, the user simply twists the ring in the same way as opening a normal twist-off lid. Twisting the ring firstly loosens the ring, then smoothly pushes the panel away from the jar to break the seal. In this way, the ring acts as a tool to break the seal. As the panel is free to move within the ring, the sound made by breaking the seal is accentuated, assuring the consumer of the contents’ freshness. Once opened, the jar may be reclosed and reopened as usual.

86% of people who purchased the Duerr’s Easy Open products during the Morrisons store trial claim it would now influence their purchasing decision. Responses to the survey were incredibly positive with 95% of respondents choosing to leave additional feedback including ‘hallelujah’, ‘A fantastic piece of inspired engineering’ and ‘whoever designed this lid should get a medal’.

The Orbit Easy Open lids are now gradually being phased in on the range of Duerr’s marmalade and jam products and are already in stores nationwide.

As part of initial research into the usability of the new lid, Design Futures at Sheffield Hallam University were commissioned by Crown to evaluate how the use of the Orbit Easy Open lid could significantly change how people open jars in their home.

The resulting research indicated that although many people liked to purchase glass jars because they were re-sealable, reusable and recyclable many women commented on their difficulty to open and even some men claimed that jars could be stubborn.

The study suggested that 22% of the participants that took part in the survey could not open a jar with a normal lid, with the percentage increasing to 40% for women over 50 years of age. Participants that could open both types of lid confirmed that the Orbit  lid was much easier to open.

Several consumer groups in the UK and across Europe have raised their concerns about the difficulties of opening various types of food packaging, highlighting jars as one of the problem areas. With an aging population the demand for easier to open packaging will only increase.

Richard Duerr of Duerr’s comments: “The simplest innovations are the ones that truly have the biggest impact on our everyday lives. This isn’t just a product for those with arthritis or weak wrists; it’s a product that everyone can use.

“Duerr’s has a long history of investing in market changing technology. In 1905 my great, great, great, great grandfather Fred Duerr pioneered the method of vacuum sealing jars helping our jams and marmalades to retain their natural colour, a method now commonly used everywhere.

“The new Orbitä Easy Open lid has the potential to be just as everyday life changing. The trouble is, I’m not sure that my wife needs me around the house anymore!”

 

What the customers say:

“As one gets older, jars of almost any description get more difficult to open. The Easy Open jar is a revelation amongst all other jars!”

Mrs C Jones

 

I am full of admiration for the inventor of such a simple and effective improvement to a long-standing packaging product. A fantastic piece of inspired engineering”

Mr Jackson

 

“I suffer from Arthritis in my hands and cannot open ordinary jars without assistance – The Easy Open Lid is marvelous for me and makes the task easy – Thank You and Well Done Duerr’s!”

Wendy Carr

 

“At 91 yrs old, I have little strength in my hands, but opened your new jar with ease and with no other gadgets involved! I hope that other manufacturers follow your excellent example. Thank you.”

J. Jolliffe

 

“I sometimes dread a new jar of jam.. as I have a condition called Lupus which can cause my dexterity to be affected especially in the mornings.. when I want to make my toast & strawberry jam. I am sure this new easy open jar will prove popular and save lots of folk scalding themselves with boiling water or jamming their jam jars in the new pine kitchen door”

Vicky Wills

 

This Christmas ditch the traditional satsuma at the bottom of the stocking and replace it with a jar of Duerr’s Single Malt Whisky Marmalade.

The new festive range, exclusive to B&M Bargains, also includes Duerr’s Traditional Mincemeat, perfect for making mince pies to leave out for Santa.

Duerr’s single malt whisky marmalade

The distinctive jars feature a tartan strip and two stags, as well as an image of a whisky glass, along with all the familiar Duerr’s brand heritage messages that Duerr’s customers know and trust.

Each jar contains 3% of whisky and is ideal to thickly spread on lightly toasted bread. A 454g jar of Whisky Marmalade is 99p.

Duerr’s traditional mincemeat

Duerr’s Traditional Mincemeat is made to an original recipe with apples, currants, and candied orange and lemon peel.

There’s nothing better than a homemade mince pie over the festive season and the Traditional Mincemeat is in a 411g jar for 89p.

A little piece of Paris appeared at The Point at Old Trafford Cricket ground on Saturday night as 300 guests donned feathers and ruffles for The Duerr’s Lady Marmalade Ball, in aid of Wythenshawe Hospital’s One in a Million appeal.

Final figures are still being totted up as donations to the cause flood in, however, the event to date raised £2,000.

The money raised will go towards the hospital’s One in an Million Appeal to raise £1milion to help refurbish the antenatal facilities and maternity unit at Wythenshawe Hospital.

The black tie dinner and auction began with a champagne drinks reception before the curtains were drawn to reveal Moulin Rouge dancers and acrobats. As the guests took their place for dinner on the tables, a stunning candelabra and feather centre piece caught the eye, nestled on the opulent red-draped tables.

Following an introduction and grace from fifth generation brothers Mark and Richard Duerr, the guests tucked into a three course meal of Mrs Kirkhams Lancashire Cheese tartlet, roast leg of lamb and sticky toffee pudding with Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge projected onto giant screens.

Felicity Goodey of UHSM delivered a heart felt plea to the audience just before the auction began. Prizes included a training day with Lancashire Cricket Club, a holiday to one of Duerr’s honey producers in Chile, and finally, a money can’t buy prize: dinner at your home cooked by Duerr’s operations director Paul Dineen with wine served by Richard Duerr which raised almost £4K.

Guests danced into the small hours to the sounds of funk band One Stop Boogie.

Managing Director Mark Duerr, whose two children were born at Wythenshawe Hospital comments: “It was a stunning event that raised money for an exceptionally good cause. I’m very proud of all the team who worked hard to stage a memorable event that will deliver real value to the community.”

 

ARE YOU THE BEST JAM MAKER IN ENGLAND?

Do your friends lust after your homemade damson preserves, your family swipe your gooseberry jams from the cupboard or do your neighbours covet your grandmother’s recipe for rhubarb?

For 129 years, Duerr’s has been making jams and marmalades from their great, great, great grandmother’s recipes and this year they’re asking the people of England to dust off their old family recipe books, head off to their local allotments and return to the kitchen as they take part in a national challenge to find the England’s Best Jam Maker.

The winner of the competition will not only achieve the accolade of knowing they are the best in Britain, but they will also have their jam commercially produced and sold in independent retailers across the UK under the Duerr’s Excellence in England range.

The new jam will join their English strawberry jam made from Yorkshire strawberries and English blackcurrant jam made with fruit from East Anglia as part of their Excellence in England range.

Competitive jam makers need to send a sample of their jam to the Duerr’s master taster, who will judge each of the jams from across each region, with only the best being put forwards to the grand final at the end of the year.

Richard Duerr, Sales and Marketing Director, comments: “The nation has shown its support for English fruit farmers by embracing our English strawberry and blackcurrant jams. However, England was once famous for being a nation of jam makers – with children gathering fruits from bushes and trees to take home to their mother who would make their own jam. Today we’re often asked to produce jams from people’s childhoods – from damson and rhubarb to gooseberry and plum.

“If you think your mum’s blackberry jam is best, or your local gooseberries will leave the nation gasping, then rise to the challenge and put them forward for England’s Best Jam maker and prove that you make the best jam in England by sending it to our chief taster at Duerr’s.”

All entries must be created using English produce and will be sampled by Duerr’s chief taster; with the regional winners being selected before a national winner is unveiled.

Full competition details and terms can be found by following the ‘competition’ link at duerrs.co.uk

Send your submissions in a sealed glass jar to: Chief Taster, F. Duerr & Sons, Floats Road, Roundthorn Industrial Estate, Wythenshawe, Manchester, M23 9DR.

http://duerrsjammaker.wordpress.com/

BRITS DITCH CELEBRITIES IN FAVOUR OF TRUE LOVE THE MORNING AFTER

Cheryl Cole and Johnny Depp come in second

Ahead of National Marmalade Day, which falls this year on the 14 February 2010, marmalade makers Duerr’s have polled the nation to discover the top ten people who we’d most like to have breakfast in bed with.

Key findings of the study completed by OnePoll revealed that:

• 27% of men and 30% of women would rather have breakfast in bed with their partner than anyone else

• Women would prefer to have their marmalade spread by American ‘a-list’ actors like Johnny Depp (15%), Brad Pitt (11%) and George Clooney (11%).

• Whereas British men prefer breakfast to be served up by more home grown celebs like girl next door Cheryl Cole (15%), English rose Kiera Knightley (10%) and finger licking domestic goddess Nigella Lawson (6%).

• Shockingly, it would also seem that women are more likely to be hankering after lost loves with ‘my ex-partner’ featuring at number seven in the women’s list (3.6%) and just scraping in at number 10 in the men’s list. (2.9%)

Women were also more willing to admit their ‘guilty crushes’ with Simon Cowell (eight), Prince William (nine) and Gordon Ramsay (ten) all featuring in the female top ten.

Despite their preference for British celebs men weren’t keen on sharing their marmalade on toast with Katie Price, Heather Mills or Kate Moss. Whilst women didn’t fancy a cuppa under the covers with Adrian Chiles, Chris Moyles or Gordon Brown.

Age doesn’t necessarily seem to matter when it comes to the breakfast tray as National treasure Terry Wogan polled twice as many votes as Gordon Brown.

Richard Duerr, Sales and Marketing Director comments “With National Marmalade Day and Valentine’s Day coinciding his year we want to encourage Brits to make time for a long lazy breakfast in bed. We can’t promise Johnny Depp or Cheryl Cole, but marmalade is a sweet and sticky treat that spreads just as well on toast as it does on other things.

“Personally, after my lovely wife of course, I’d probably have breakfast with Kiera Knightley while Nigella Lawson made us all a nice lunch.”