Coca-Coca’s Latest Freestyle Can Launch Custom Mixes Over the Air
Coca-Cola has added to its Freestyle beverage machines with a countertop model that builds in a new content management system.
Initially announced in spring 2019, the Coca-Cola Freestyle 7100 had a soft launch in 2020, with the full commercial launch pushed until now a result of the pandemic.
The scaled-down dispenser has a 24-inch high-def touchscreen and, as with other Freestyle machines, features mobile technology that lets users select and pour drinks using their smartphone without an app or account, Eric Lewis, Coca-Cola Freestyle marketing director, tells CGT. The feature was implemented last year to meet the growing demand for contactless experiences.
The dispenser also includes an upgraded content management system that enables Coca-Cola to launch new brands over-the-air, as well as “digital recipes” for such things as custom mixes for the holidays or even for an individual retailer.
The CMS also provides retailers with real-time precision diagnostics that identify how much product is left and an estimate of when it will run out based on the location’s specific usage. It also informs Coca-Cola when flavor cartridge will need to be replaced.
Coca-Cola Freestyle works with the retailer to manage the content that is displayed on the dispenser, and it shares consumption data with its customers to help identify trends and consumer preferences, says Lewis.
