Cool>Can is activated through a straightforward push-button system located on the base of the container. Pressing the button initiates an endothermic reaction within the can structure, powered by DC15, a patented salt-based cooling compound.
According to reported performance, the process can reduce the beverage temperature by around 10–15°C, with the exact result determined by the drink’s initial temperature.
Founder and CEO James Vyse says his background working behind a cocktail bar helped shape the concept. He explains: “I’ve already had success in the beverage industry, but one of the pain points for me was drinks going warm on the go with no clear way to cool them down, because the cooling infrastructure is static.
“You can’t move fridges and freezers around. You can move cool boxes, but you don’t really want to put them on trains, take them to festivals, and lug them around. That’s where the idea of self-cooling came from.”
The packaging adopts a ‘can-within-a-can’ construction, keeping the water and salt apart until activation while shielding the drink from the cooling reaction. A slimline inner can contains the beverage, while a conventional outer can supports the chemical cooling system.
“The brand’s liquid can be produced and sealed by its preferred partner in a normal slimline can,” says Vyse. “We then make a slight modification to the outer can shell, attach the cooling mechanism, and slide the beverage can inside.
“The slimline can is mechanically sealed to the external can before we attach the chemistry and water module to the bottom. We have a pilot line in Wales for that process.”
With sustainability requirements becoming more demanding across international markets, Cool>Can has been engineered to retain recyclability. deltaH says its chemical technology has received approval under UK and EU REACH requirements, as well as from the FDA.
Vyse says earlier self-chilling beverage concepts relied on refrigerants or gas, creating challenges for recycling and commercial viability: “There were attempts at self-cooling a long time ago, with companies using refrigerants and gas,” Vyse continues. “But you can’t put something in a can that’s going to make it unrecyclable, especially in a margin-sensitive industry.
“It was obvious that we definitely could not use gas. So we’re using chemistry.
“We realized the chemistry we had was the only way you could do it from a commercial perspective because the regulations are so sensitive when you’re working with chemistry.
“We’ve also optimized it to be more efficient in cooling beverages, because the chemistry wasn’t originally invented to cool a beverage down.”
Before developing the commercial product, deltaH ran a PR campaign to test consumer and industry interest in self-cooling cans. The reportedly “overwhelming” reaction opened discussions with multinational beverage brands, while also highlighting the manufacturing and distribution challenges built into established supply chains.
“There are certain requirements around beverage filling and so many things we’ve had to overcome, such as filling lines and the sheer scale of the can industry,” adds Vyse. “You can’t just come in and disrupt that with a new can.
“The industry is older than any of us, and changing a can end takes two or three years. For us to be viable as a start-up, we had to find ways of doing this more quickly and efficiently within the structure that’s already there.
“That has been the biggest friction for us, making sure the process of adoption is seamless. That’s exactly what we’ve done. We’ve built it in a way that allows brands to adopt it very easily.”
At London Packaging Week 2026, deltaH plans to present a fully commercialized and branded version of Cool>Can. The launch follows a collaboration with craft brewer Brains Brewery, whose Bayside Welsh Lager will be featured at the event.
Elsewhere in beverage packaging innovation, Asahi’s Mirai no Lemon Sour uses carbon dioxide released when the can is opened to bring real lemon slices to the surface. The format is intended to create a ‘unique sensory experience’ for consumers.
PepsiCo marked the World Cup with limited-edition thermochromic cans that changed colour when the drink reached its ‘optimal’ serving temperature. Global design leader Vinicius Sales spoke with Packaging Europe about the creative development behind the cans and the growing role of ‘gamification’ in major-brand marketing campaigns.
