Hillman's Export Beer Flat Top Can

Chicago Grocer Store Brand Can

Brewed and packaged by the Peter Fox Brewing Company in Chicago, Illinois, the Hillman's Export Beer flat top represents a celebrated piece of mid-century private-label breweriana. Produced as a proprietary brand for Hillman's Pure Foods—a prominent supermarket and gourmet grocery chain in the Chicago metropolitan area—this can highlights the historical intersection of regional brewing and grocery retailing.

Operating from West Monroe Street on Chicago's West Side following Repeal, the Peter Fox Brewing Company was an aggressive early adopter of modern canning technology in the Midwest, investing heavily in dedicated canning machinery. Alongside packaging flagship products such as Fox De Luxe, Peter Fox secured contract packaging agreements with local retail merchants, supplying store-branded cans under the Hillman's name.

For breweriana historians and can collectors, the can holds special collector lore. For years after Peter Fox ceased brewing operations, cans bearing the brewery's credit for Hillman's were known primarily through vintage newspaper advertisements and period promotional material. When physical specimens were eventually recovered by collectors, they validated the historical production and retail presence of the brand.

The can's graphic composition showcases bold, retro commercial typography tailored to catch the eye of grocery shoppers. Known variations exist across different manufacturing runs, showcasing subtle differences in mandatory legal text, can manufacturer hallmarks, and color shading. Today, the can remains a sought-after crossover item for regional Chicago specialists, private-label packaging historians, and breweriana enthusiasts.