The beverage and snack giant, which acquired customizable at-home sparkling water maker SodaStream last year, says this is the next step in its ‘beyond the bottle’ project - which seeks to move away from single-use plastic bottles and towards more sustainable packaging.
The platform - which will launch at select workplaces, universities and hospitality partners this year - consists of a water dispenser, smartphone app and personalized QR code sticker for reusable bottles (which enables the dispenser to recognize individual consumers).
The system also allows users to track their water intake; save their own flavor and carbonation levels; set daily hydration targets; and track the number of single-use plastic bottles avoided. Water is nano-filtered as it passes through the machine.
Three key trends: Personalization; health; and plastic reduction
The company says the new platform has been built to reflect how people drink water today - with ‘a connected ecosystem that responds to the rise in consumption of water and low-and-no-sugar drinks as well as a heightened focus on plastic’s effect on the environment’.
Scott Finlow, Chief Marketing Officer of PepsiCo Foodservice, said: “This new platform for hydration is an exciting step in the PepsiCo Beyond the Bottle innovation pipeline.
“We’ve addressed a number of trends we’re seeing resonate with consumers, including the increasing concern for the environment, preference for refillable bottles over single-use plastics, and finally choice and personalization whenever possible.”
PepsiCo’s new hydration platform builds on similar consumers trends to that of SodaStream, which it acquired last year for $3.2bn. While SodaStream is an at-home machine, the new hydration platform will be launched in office spaces and hospitality locations.
PepsiCo also launched Drinkfinity in the US last year: a personalized beverage vessel that can be customized by using different ingredient pods. Like SodaStream and the new hydration platform, the concept seeks to tap into consumers looking for healthier, personalized beverages with a reduced environmental impact.