Pick ’n’ mix: Vending machine serves user-created drinks

Atlanta – More than just a well-stocked vending machine, a new soda dispenser allows users to create their own drinks from a recipe of their choosing. Coca-Cola’s new Freestyle machine, which allows customers to select from and mix more than 100 still and sparkling flavour options, is a smart move in a world of burgeoning choice.

The machine relies on proprietary PurePour Technology – originally intended for use in precise drug measurements – and a data system that allows communication with Coca-Cola HQ so that the Freestyle is truly responsive to customers’ needs. The company plans to have 60 test units around the US by the end of the summer, letting consumers revisit the joy of the soda fountains they once enjoyed as children.