The Challenge
After securing a contract with a major grocery chain, they moved into a new facility to increase production. However, their existing canning system couldn't keep up with the volume, forcing them to shut down online orders, including Amazon, to prioritize their grocery contracts. Despite their growth, Hip Pop found themselves struggling to scale efficiently, with overworked staff and operational bottlenecks that threatened their ability to meet demand and capitalize on new opportunities. Hip Pop needed to find a scalable, flexible solution to quickly ramp production without overburdening their team or their business. Maintaining the status quo was not an option, as missed sales opportunities and
overstretched resources were hurting their business.
- Production bottlenecks Their current canning system couldn’t meet the increasing production volume required to fulfill large orders from both the grocery chain and e-commerce platforms.
- Order backlog Having to shut down online orders due to production limitations meant missed revenue from a growing customer base.
- Scaling challenges Hip Pop knew that status quo would limit future growth opportunities, but the upfront cashflow required to scale up quickly to meet demand can be prohibitive.
The Solution
Hip Pop turned to Cask for a holistic solution that would enable them to scale up operations efficiently, without straining resources or compromising quality. Cask proposed a bundled Equipment, Can Supply & Service offering, which included:
- Creative solutions Hip Pop acquired a new, high capacity ACS FleX2 canning system through a creative commercial and technical solution facilitated by Cask. By working collaboratively, Cask helped structure a scalable solution tailored to Hip Pop's growth needs, enabling them to double production volume without significant upfront capital strain. The approach included a multi-year commitment on can supply, ensuring mutual alignment and long-term success.
- Can supply agreement By securing a long-term can supply agreement, Hip Pop gained a reliable source of high quality aluminum cans at competitive prices. This ensured they could meet the growing demand without interruptions.
- Service and maintenance support Hip Pop receives ongoing maintenance through a dedicated team, ensuring their equipment stays in optimal condition, maximizing uptime.
"As a fourth-generation family-owned business, we understand firsthand what it takes to reach new stages of growth. Scaling a business isn’t easy, especially when you’re balancing the need to grow with the realities of cash flow. We work collaboratively with our customers to explore creative commercial and technical solutions tailored to their unique growth needs. Our goal is to be a true partner in their success, ensuring mutual alignment and sustainable growth for the long term.” Russell Love, Board Member @ Cask
The Results
Cask is the only canning system manufacturer in the world that also has a direct can supply relationship with Ball Corporation enables a whole suite of creative commercial options that can be incredibly attractive for a growing beverage brand.
With a reliable supply of cans and canning equipment that can scale as they grow, Hip Pop positioned themselves to continue expanding into new markets without the fear of hitting operational limits. Their new ACS FleX2 allowed Hip Pop to double production, meet the grocery chain’s demands, and reopen their online and Amazon stores. Hip Pop built a scalable production model that can adjust to increasing demand, ensuring they stay agile and responsive to new opportunities.
