|
|
 
|
|
Author
|
Topic: Coca-Cola FREESTYLE...the future of bad soda
|
|
|
|
|
Marcel Birgelen
Film God
Posts: 3357
From: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands
Registered: Feb 2012
|
posted 09-03-2013 06:51 PM
I'm not really in the soda business and I've only seen one of those Freestyle machines once, in a Burger King in London. Seems like they are slowly starting to make their way into Europe too.
While I do understand that a Cherry or Vanilla Coke, dispensed by this machine might taste different than a bottled version, I don't really understand why a "Classic Coke" from this machine, will taste any different than that from a normal post-mix soda fountain.
Aren't they just using the same basic syrups and are just mixing in the special flavors, like lime, orange, etc.?
Regarding Coca Cola itself... It's actually kind of sad, that the country that this stuff originates from, has the worst tasting Coke on the planet. Since almost all bottlers outside of the U.S. still mainly use sugar as sweetener and not this damned HFCS stuff...
| IP: Logged
|
|
Mike Blakesley
Film God
Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99
|
posted 09-03-2013 07:12 PM
That's supposedly a reason Pepsi came out with "throwback" versions of their products a year or two ago. They had Pepsi Throwback and Mountain Dew Throwback -- which were sweetened with sugar instead of HFCS. There is a difference in taste but it's slight. But it must have caught on....they were "limited time" things when introduced but they're still available.
quote: Marcel Birgelen
Aren't they just using the same basic syrups and are just mixing in the special flavors, like lime, orange, etc.?
They don't use the basic syrups, apparently. They use a "base" fluid of some sort and it's mixed with the flavors that come in small cartridges. (I'd like to see a picture of the inside of one of those machines.) Anyway, it introduces more opportunities for bad mixes. Then you've got the possibility of "residual" taste from the last person's poured drink left on the spout.
Wikipedia has an article about the machines, including a picture of the insides (sort of). Here is their description of how it works:
quote:
Technologies involved include microdispensing technology and proprietary PurePour technology. Both technologies were originally developed to deliver precise doses of drugs. Microdosing blends one or more concentrated ingredients in 46 US fl oz (1.36 L) packets with water and sweetener at the point where the beverage is dispensed, thus avoiding the use of traditional 5 US gal (18.9 L) boxes of syrup (also known as a bag-in-a-box).[7] Cartridges store concentrated ingredients in the dispenser cabinet and are RFID enabled. The machine uses RFID chips to detect its supplies and to radio resupplying needs to other units. The machines transmit supply and demand data to both Coca-Cola and the owner including brands sold, times of the day of sales, troubleshooting information, and service data. The traditional ice cube dispenser remains. The maximum rate of output is 95 drinks per hour.
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marcel Birgelen
Film God
Posts: 3357
From: Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands
Registered: Feb 2012
|
posted 09-04-2013 02:57 AM
quote: Mike Blakesley
That's supposedly a reason Pepsi came out with "throwback" versions of their products a year or two ago. They had Pepsi Throwback and Mountain Dew Throwback -- which were sweetened with sugar instead of HFCS. There is a difference in taste but it's slight. But it must have caught on....they were "limited time" things when introduced but they're still available.
Although I've never had the opportunity, I'm pretty sure that in the case of Coke, you could single out the HFCS and sugar versions in a blind taste test. And I'm well aware that people claim all kinds of stuff, like tasting the difference between Coke in glass or PET bottles, but this one, is pretty obvious.
quote: Mike Blakesley
They don't use the basic syrups, apparently. They use a "base" fluid of some sort and it's mixed with the flavors that come in small cartridges. (I'd like to see a picture of the inside of one of those machines.)
I did some catching up on the Googling part. And indeed, the "base flavor" cartridges they use, are flimsy compared to the "bag-in-a-box" versions. But, then again, bottlers also receive their concentrate, without the sweetener. AFAIK, the main reason they do that is because the sweetener adds a lot of bulk. So, is this essentially the same stuff bottling plants use (which is very concentrated and comes with all kinds of warning labels, because of the low pH), or is this yet another contraption, that's even more concentrated? *
quote: Mike Blakesley
Anyway, it introduces more opportunities for bad mixes.
Hey, everything is computer controlled, RFID tagged, laser aligned and uses PurePour(tm) technology that was previously only available for medical purposes, what could possibly go wrong?
quote: Mike Blakesley
Then you've got the possibility of "residual" taste from the last person's poured drink left on the spout.
I'm probably taking this far to easy, but couldn't that be solved by increasing the dosage of the flavor-containing elements in the first 2/3rds of the drink and just pouring (carbonated) water in the remaining third? That's the way those coffee machines that also offer drinks like hot chocolate are (mostly) solving this problem, without having to clean the nozzle/sprout/or-how-you-call-that-thing after every use.
quote: Brad Miller
That's why they want you to put 10 of them in your lobby Mike.
And they still charge you between $200 and $300 per month per device for those things?
quote: Joe Redifer
Would-be customers see the long line and just say "screw it" and bypass the stand altogether. Or they bring their own stuff. Gotta keep that line super-short.
Obviously, the thing was new and the novelty factor comes into play, but that's exactly the reason why I ignored that thing, when I saw it the first (and for now the only) time.
Edit: * Apparently, the Coke bottling plants receive their concentrate in two parts. Which already partially answers this question.
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
Jack Ondracek
Film God
Posts: 2348
From: Port Orchard, WA, USA
Registered: Oct 2002
|
posted 09-04-2013 08:45 AM
I've watched people use Freestyle machines in theatres. They take up WAY too much time, fussing with the myriad choices... and the WASTE! Who do you think is paying for all that sampling & dumping down the drain?
You can't control costs by putting these things behind the counter. The whole point is letting the customer play. More time, more waste, more cost for you.
At a drive-in? Couldn't possibly work.
I agree that pre-mix tastes best. My wife and I often fly to a small airport that serves it. The bottler does something with premix (and the canned stuff) that we can't... they carbonate EVERYTHING. We dilute our drinks with uncarbonated syrup, so it's always going to be different. However, the premix is more expensive and cumbersome to store, because it's not concentrated. You probably won't see a major return of that stuff.
Coke has always been good to us. In our area (near Seattle), their service is prompt and first-class. We check brix at least 3 times per season. Our staff pulls the nozzles daily... no brown goo in our machines.
You can get competitive pricing on syrup if you work at it a little. Coke does want your business and they'll work with you, to an extent. For awhile, we were paying less to have our foodservice company supply our syrup. The local Coke warehouse was charging us about $12/box more... go figure.
We had Pepsi for about a year, and nobody was impressed. The local service crew also burned out one of our machines on a Friday, by wiring the power transformer backwards. Then, they left us with the problem... can't help us on the weekend, y'know.
We had Coke back in here by Saturday afternoon... new machines & all.
| IP: Logged
|
|
Dave Macaulay
Film God
Posts: 2321
From: Toronto, Canada
Registered: Apr 2001
|
posted 09-04-2013 09:35 AM
We have a Freestyle setup at a local fast food outlet. I haven't been back to the counter since it went in. The drive-thru still uses a normal fountain so if I really want to have their "food" I buy there and then park and go inside.
The thing may well make great drinks (no opinion), but it is so slow - not slow dispensing but one goes mental waiting in line while the kiddies decide what to get.
The flavor cartridges are very small, so the (most popular) Coke runs out every few minutes when the place is busy. Then someone has to complain to a counter person, who has to find someone qualified, who has to find the key. Then the machine gets opened, and displays what cartridge is empty. Then it gets locked again while the cartridge is fetched and the machine unlocked and opened again. Then the new cartridge gets scanned (there's a bar code scanner inside) and the machine tells you what cartridge slot is to be changed(there are about 8 slots inside, each cartridge is quite small - anyone with cinema concession experience knows how often the large postmix boxes have to be swapped so you can imagine how few drinks a cartridge less than 1/4 that size will make. Finally the thing is refilled, closed, locked, and of course the first Coke is all watery so the customer has to pour it out and refill it. Hopefully the spill/pourout tray is connected to a drain.
All witnessed while sipping a normal postmix Coke from the dive-thru window.
This franchise location seems to be test marketing a new look for the chain I don't go to a lot of them but haven't seen another set up this way. Everything is screwed up: you order and pay at one counter and have to give a name, then you get a drink cup there. Then you wait at another counter for your name to be called, or go to the Freestyle line and miss your name being called. Chaos. I hope this doesn't roll out to the whole chain.
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
All times are Central (GMT -6:00)
|
This topic comprises 13 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... 11 12 13
|
Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classicTM
6.3.1.2
The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion
and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.
|
Home
Printer-friendly view of this topic