K & B Light Beer 12 Oz Tab Top Can

K&B Light Beer from New Orleans

This all-aluminum tab top can held twelve fluid ounces of K & B Light Beer and features dual imperial and metric volume markings across the lower rim, noting both 12 fluid ounces and 355 milliliters. The upper rim is marked with the phrase "A Special Light Blend" accompanied by nutritional specifications. The central face features the familiar K&B logo enclosed within an oval crest, positioned over a horizontal blue band and a starburst background highlighting the bold "LIGHT" designation.

K&B represented the house brand of Katz & Besthoff, an institution in Gulf Coast retail founded in New Orleans in 1905 by Gustave Katz and Sydney Besthoff. The chain became deeply embedded in regional culture, famous for its signature purple branding, soda fountains, and an extensive lineup of proprietary products that ranged from ice cream to pharmacy remedies. To serve value-minded beverage consumers, the chain introduced private-label beers, including standard lager and light variations. The independent drugstore chain operated across Louisiana and adjacent states until 1997, when it was acquired by Rite Aid.

The can identifies its source as the Royal Brewing Company of New Orleans, Louisiana. Royal served as a trade name and packaging entity utilized to contract-brew proprietary house labels for major Crescent City retailers, supplying packaged beers not only for K&B but also for local staples such as Schwegmann Brothers Giant Super Markets and Time Saver convenience stores. These contract runs were produced in New Orleans brewing facilities—closely linked to the operations of the historic Dixie Brewing Company—during an era when regional brewers frequently utilized alternate company names to produce private-label stock.

Among breweriana collectors, this can holds special interest as a crossover piece connecting regional brewing operations with Southern retail heritage. Cans bearing supermarket and drugstore house brands from the New Orleans market are popular targets for collectors of Louisiana breweriana and regional contract labels.