SmartMouth & TricorBraun: A 30-Year Partnership Evolving a One-of-a-Kind Bottle

For more than 30 years, SmartMouth has partnered with TricorBraun to bring its innovative dual-chamber mouthwash bottle to life. From its early iterations to every redesign since, TricorBraun has acted as an extension of the SmartMouth team, working closely to refine, test, and manufacture packaging that improves the user experience and meets retailer and consumer needs.

So when new consumer feedback revealed challenges with the existing bottle, SmartMouth didn’t have to look far for a solution — they turned to TricorBraun. “Together, we partnered to create a solution that retains visual appeal while enhancing usability, improving supply chain efficiency, and delivering a more positive consumer experience that supports long-term brand loyalty,” said Rachel Moffat, Packaging Consultant, TricorBraun.

Consumer Experience Comes First

The original package featured an eye-catching, innovative design that stood out on shelf—but the user experience revealed opportunities for improvement. Consumers were required to remove multiple parts to access the product, only to encounter small, hard-to-see dispensing openings. Reassembling the components before pouring made the process cumbersome and unintuitive.

“Some consumers shared that the multi-step process was frustrating, citing issues with assembling and glugging, an uneven pour caused when air cannot enter the same opening as the liquid is dispensed,” said Brent Dellay, Chief Operating Officer, SmartMouth. “We truly care about our consumers’ experience, so when they bring us constructive feedback, we take action.”

SmartMouth also recognized logistical challenges with the original packaging—its narrow-top, wide-base shape impacted pallet efficiency and consumed valuable retail shelf space.

Custom Designed, Rigorously Tested

“Our team recommended minimizing the width of the bottle’s base. This change allowed retailers to fit three bottles per row on the shelf, up from two,” said Jay Lee, Product Design Engineer and Team Lead, Design & Engineering, TricorBraun. “For improved dispensing, TricorBraun also designed a custom flip-top closure that snaps onto each bottle neck, allowing users to easily open each chamber. The closure also allows air to flow in as the liquid comes out, preventing glugging, and creating a smoother, steady pour.”

As with every iteration of the SmartMouth bottle, TricorBraun guided the design through commercialization with in-house validation. Throughout the redesign process, SmartMouth actively participated in quality testing alongside TricorBraun’s in-house Quality team at their state-of-the-art lab in Oak Brook, IL. Every feature underwent rigorous validation to confirm manufacturability and consistency.

“What really stood out is TricorBraun’s commitment to continuous improvement and their pursuit of excellence—not just in design, but in every step of the process. They invest in the resources, equipment, and collaborative support needed to deliver packaging solutions that drive consumer loyalty and set us up for long-term success.” -Brent Dellay, Chief Operating Officer, SmartMouth

“Our team tested the closure to make sure it was both easy for all users to operate and strong enough to stay secure in transit,” said Gregg Aukeman, Director, Design & Engineering Commercialization at TricorBraun. “We also performed extensive pour and leak testing for precise control and reliable sealing.”

“For a small company like ours, which runs on efficiency, having that kind of hands-on support and expertise gave us a level of confidence we wouldn’t have had otherwise,” said Dellay. 

Results: Increased Sales, Lower Costs, and Increased Efficiencies

Since launching the redesigned package, SmartMouth has seen a boost in sales and overwhelmingly positive consumer feedback.”’ said Dellay.

The new custom bottle design, according to Dellay, delivered more than just an improved user experience — it also brought significant operational efficiencies: “Previously, only 500 bottles could fit on a pallet. With the new bottle design, that number more than doubled. These cost savings allowed SmartMouth to continue delivering the same high-quality product without passing increased costs on to consumers.”

TricorBraun’s expertise proved to be a significant value-add for SmartMouth, according to Dellay: “As a collaborative partner, the team consistently offered solutions and guided SmartMouth through every stage of the development journey, making the process approachable and clear.”
Dellay emphasized how critical it is to have a partner with deep expertise—one who can identify and solve problems before they escalate. “When there’s a challenge or problem, a TricorBraun team member is typically at the factory within 48 hours,” he said. “Their network and responsiveness make all the difference. It’s great knowing I have a team I can trust when I need help. This is what truly sets TricorBraun apart.”

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