Deirdre Hamill/The Arizona Republic Cynthia Contreras, of Phoenix, helps herself to a soft drink from the new touch screen Coca-Cola Freestyle machine, offering 106 different choices, at Pei Wei Restaurant in Phoenix.A high-tech soda fountain unveiled Thursday at Pei Wei Asian Diner in central Phoenix will dispense an unprecedented 106 flavors out the front end and real-time consumer data out the back end, according to its creators at the Coca-Cola Co.
Jim Sanders, commercialization group director for Coca-Cola, which is based in Atlanta, said the new drink machine will become the standard.
Jim Sanders, Coca-Cola commercialization group director, described it as the biggest advancement in beverage delivery since self-serve soda fountains were popularized two decades ago.
Dubbed "Coca-Cola Freestyle," the machines are different from traditional soda fountains, which are merely refrigerated water and an ice dispenser connected via tubes to bags of flavored syrup.
Underneath the Freestyle's sleek, glossy enamel exterior is a Microsoft Windows-based computer that receives customer input via a large touch-screen, Sanders said.
Customers begin by selecting a "base brand," he said, using Classic Coke as an example. Tapping the desired logo leads to a second screen where the customer can choose from a variety of mix-in flavors, including vanilla, cherry, orange, grape, peach, raspberry and others.
Unlike other fountain-drink dispensers already on the market that offer what Sanders called "flavor shots," the machines designed by Coca-Cola mix flavors according to exact recipes developed through taste-testing.
"The amount of orange in the orange Coke is different than the amount of orange in the orange Sprite," Sanders said.
Freestyle machines each contain what look like 24 giant ink cartridges, within each a super-concentrated beverage "base" or flavor add-in.
Yes, there is even a base cartridge for Dasani, Sanders said, which includes the exact mix of minerals that give Coca-Cola's bottled-water product its taste.
The flavors for each beverage are mixed with precision via a dispensary system developed for medical purposes, he said.
Each machine also includes data collection, transmittal and alert systems that send comprehensive, detailed information about customer behavior back to Coca-Cola.
Coca-Cola doesn't plan to license or sell the new machines to competitors, he said, adding that the company has several patents associated with the new system.
Neither consumers nor business owners can purchase one of the machines. They come in rental form, which includes full-service maintenance, regular software upgrades and access to real-time data.
"It can send a message to the restaurant manager to say, 'Hey, you've got about an hour left on your Coke (cartridge),' " Sanders said.
Coca-Cola will own all the data collected from its customers and intends to use it in a number of ways, such as to develop and test-market products targeted at specific geographic areas or restaurant types, Sanders said.
He indicated that a version of the Freestyle machine also is in development for use by bartenders and food servers, one that could include recipes for alcoholic beverages, too.
Although he would not disclose the monthly fee for a Freestyle fountain, Sanders acknowledged that it would add to the establishment owner's expenses.
Still, he said the company's research showed that the machines inspire more customers to buy fountain drinks, and some are expected to visit particular establishments just because they have a Freestyle machine.
Customers are willing to pay a little more for their beverages, too, Coca-Cola's research shows. Sanders said the company recommends a price increase of about 10 cents per drink to help make the machines more affordable.
Pei Wei brand director Terry Haley said the company, which is based in Scottsdale, was happy to be involved in the Freestyle's Arizona launch at two restaurants, at 701 W. McDowell Road in Phoenix and at 3426 E. Baseline Road in Mesa.
The chain plans to have Freestyle fountains at all of its locations soon.
by J. Craig Anderson The Arizona Republic Nov. 20, 2010 12:00 AM
High-tech soda fountain makes Phoenix debut
