Technology

Cola-Cola 'Flexes' dispenser to provide beverage variety

Provided

May 17, 2023

The Coca-Cola Flex powered by Freestyle, a beverage dispenser that offers an enhanced guest experience while reducing operational complexity, is now on the market.

With over 40 beverage choices available in the same footprint as standard 6-valve fountain dispensers, the machine combines the benefits of traditional fountain dispensers with the innovation and variety offered by Coca-Cola Freestyle, said Megan Tallman, group director of Coca-Cola Freestyle and Foodservice Innovation.

"Beverages are accelerating in importance as a trip driver within the foodservice channel, and consumers are increasingly searching for more variety, especially Gen Z," she said in a company press release. "By offering more beverage variety, Coca-Cola Flex enables operators to capture previously untapped revenue from 30% of consumers who would add a beverage to their order if their desired category were available."

Coca-Cola conducted two rounds of consumer testing and worked with several customers and bottling partners to understand which features would optimize the fountain occasion. Tallman said in addition to providing a simple installation and maintenance for operators, features of the front-of-house dispenser include:

• PurePour Technology, which uses recipes with micro-dosing pumps and proprietary PurePour technology to dispense the proper ingredients at the point of pour. The result is quality, fresh beverages from every pour.
• A dispenser with a 15-inch HD touchscreen display for smoother navigation and an engaging consumer experience.
• Improved crew operations thanks to a user-friendly interface, easier access to inventory alerts, quicker diagnostics and improved ergonomics. The small, eco-friendly SmartPAK cartridges are easy to change and take up less space than the traditional bag-in-box syrup.

The full commercial launch is slated for the first quarter of 2024.