Coke tests fountain machine offering 120 drinks

Coca-Cola Co. plans to try out a new fountain machine that can dispense more than 100 different beverages, using restaurants in Atlanta and Orange County, Calif., as the test sites.

Tests start this year and wider introduction could begin as early as next year, the Atlanta-based beverage giant said. Coca-Cola President and CEO Muhtar Kent will highlight a prototype of the machine this week at a Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference in Boca Raton, Fla.

The machine uses high-concentrate ingredients to fit up to 120 beverages in the same amount of space as the current eight-valve machine. It will hold a variety of beverages, including carbonated soft drinks, still beverages and no-calorie drinks.

“Consumers always tell us they want more choice, and we saw a big opportunity to provide that choice while introducing a completely novel brand experience that can help catapult our customers’ beverage offerings into the future,” said Chris Lowe, president, Coca-Cola North America FoodService and On-Premise, in a press statement.