Coca-Cola Freestyle Unveils Contactless Pour by Phone Technology


Coca-Cola Freestyle Unveils Contactless Pour by Phone Technology

ATLANTA – As the coronavirus pandemic continues to reshape the world around us and shift consumer behavior, The Coca-Cola Company is rolling out a new pouring option to meet consumer needs with its latest Coca-Cola Freestyle technology innovation – contactless, mobile pouring from a smartphone.

“All Coca-Cola beverage dispensers are safe with recommended care and cleaning,” said Chris Hellmann, Coca-Cola Freestyle Vice President and General Manager. “But in these uncertain times, Coca-Cola is providing consumers a new option – a touchless fountain experience. It has been exciting to see our team continue to innovate – mostly from home – to meet the evolving needs of customers and consumers. Our partners are doing everything they can to maintain a safe and hygienic dining environment, and we’re doing all we can to provide options for their guests to continue to pour the beverages they want on a platform they love.”

The new contactless Coca-Cola Freestyle solution allows consumers to choose and pour drinks from their phones in just a few seconds, without having to create an account or download an app. The mobile experience, which was tested in-market at Firehouse Subs, Five Guys and Wendy’s locations in Atlanta and is starting to roll out toCoca-Cola Freestyle dispensers across the U.S., works on any smart device. “Holding your camera up to the display auto-scans a QR code, which immediately connects to the cloud and brings the Coca-Cola Freestyle user interface to your phone,” explains Michael Connor, Chief Architect, Coca-Cola Freestyle. “You then select from the full menu of brands and flavors – and pour. The idea is to be safe, seamless and fun.”

The team knew from the start that the experience needed to be as easy as possible. “We intentionally designed this so anyone with a smart device could pour a drink,” Connor said. “When you have a tray or a sandwich in one hand, you don’t want to deal with downloading an app. We took steps to make the solution super-easy, super-fast and super-reliable.”

Coca-Cola Freestyle app users can, however, opt to scan the QR code in the app for a similar experience, with the ability to pour pre-saved mixes.

The team developed the touch-free offering in a matter of weeks, building from the Coca-Cola Freestyle Operating System (FOS) introduced in 2019. The software will be pushed to more than 10,000 Coca-Cola Freestyle dispensers later this summer, and all Freestyle dispensers will be contactless-compatible before the end of year.

Research shows that 60% of restaurant guests prefer to pour their own fountain drink versus having a crew member do so, according to a May 2020 quantitative study from Civic Science. Customization is the primary driver for self-serve fountain fans, but more than 40% strongly agree that they feel safer when in control of their drinks.

In addition to the contactless pouring innovation, Coca-Cola has also given its customers access to a wide array of touch-free and safety solutions, such as hand sanitizer, disposable wipes, disposable stylus pens and more.

“One of our top priorities is being a great partner for our customers,” said Hellmann. “Restaurants have been among the hardest hit businesses during the pandemic due to dining room closures across the country. Our goal is to provide a variety of solutions so our customers can offer consumers the Coca-Cola beverages they love, while driving critical revenue to their bottom line.”

About Coca-Cola Freestyle

The Coca-Cola Freestyle platform launched in 2009 with Coca-Cola Freestyle 9000 andCoca-Cola Freestyle 8000, high-volume dispensers in self-serve and crew-serve options, respectively. In 2014, the company unveiled Coca-Cola Freestyle 7000, a mid-volume, countertop dispenser. In 2018, Coca-Cola Freestyle continued its legacy of innovation by introducing the next generation of the platform: Coca-Cola Freestyle 9100, which is rolling out nationally in select outlets in 2019. The Coca-Cola Freestyle portfolio offers more than 200 beverage brands, including waters, sports drinks, lemonades, teas, juices and sparkling beverages. Coca-Cola Freestyle users also can select from more than 100 low- and no-calorie options, more than 90 caffeine-free choices and more than 100 beverage brands that are unavailable anywhere else. With so many options, Coca-Cola Freestyle truly offers the kind of variety to meet peoples’ beverage needs and lifestyles.

To learn more about Coca-Cola Freestyle or to find one near you, visit coca-colafreestyle.com, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/cocacolafreestyle or follow us on Twitter @ccfreestyle.

About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company, offering over 500 brands in more than 200 countries and territories. In addition to the company’s Coca-Cola brand, our portfolio includes AdeS, Ayataka, Costa, Dasani, Del Valle, Fanta, Georgia, Gold Peak, Honest, innocent, Minute Maid, Powerade, Simply, smartwater, Sprite, vitaminwater and ZICO. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We’re also working to reduce our environmental impact by replenishing water and promoting recycling. With our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

For More Information

https://www.coca-colacompany.com




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