The Data Behind the Drink
HOW FREESTYLE BECAME A DIRECT LINE TO CONSUMER TASTE
When Freestyle launched, the headline was variety, more than 100 combinations from a single machine. What emerged over time was something more transformative: a real-time data signal from tens of thousands of machines, showing exactly what consumers are reaching for and returning to order again.
That data now drives product development at a pace the industry has not seen previously.
Insightful data translates into a finished, market-ready drink in as few as 90 days, while the traditional process takes 18 months. For example, Coca‑Cola Freestyle developed and launched Fanta Crimson Sour Cherry in White Castle and Sprite Loco Lime in Wingstop, both in under three months from concept to pouring.
“With live data from roughly 11 million servings per day, Coca‑Cola Freestyle is the largest, live consumer taste test in the world,” said Megan Tallman, Vice President, Foodservice Innovation and Equipment, North America Operating Unit, The Coca‑Cola Company. “No other company has the real-time insight into exactly what consumers are choosing nor the ability to use that same equipment to then craft and launch new drinks based on the trends we see emerging.”
“We’re evolving our dispense equipment into a connected, intelligent platform where every pour strengthens our understanding of consumers and every unit becomes part of a global network,” said Gigy Philip, Vice President, Global Equipment Platforms, The Coca‑Cola Company. “At scale, that’s what allows us to move faster, differentiate our system, and deliver more relevant experiences at the point of pour.”
That connected, data-driven foundation is now shaping a new generation of equipment, designed to move faster, adapt to different spaces and deliver more relevant experiences than ever before.
What’s New and What’s Next
EQUIPMENT INNOVATION DEBUTING AT THE NATIONAL RESTAURANT SHOW
Attendees at the National Restaurant Show in Chicago May 16-19 will be among the first to experience The Coca‑Cola Company’s latest equipment innovation before it begins rolling out in the U.S
