USA: Coca Cola to be made available in “capsules”

American soft drink giant Coca Cola has purchased a 10% stake in US brand Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, which manufactures Keurig single serve coffee machines.

The two companies signed an agreement that will see all drinks within the Coca Cola range (including Coca Cola, Diet Coke and Fanta) turned into single-serve pods for use in Green Mountain’s upcoming cold-beverage machine. Expected to be launched in 2015, the device will enable consumers to make “home-made” carbonated and non-carbonated drinks.

“Keurig can do for cold beverages what has been done with hot coffee and tea at home,” Green Mountain’s chief executive Brian Kelley said. “We believe there is significant opportunity to premiumise and accelerate growth in the cold-beverage category”, he added.

Muhtar Kent, Coca-Cola chief executive, said the deal would be an “enhancement” to the company’s bottling system, under which a number of independent companies distribute and, in some cases, produce its drinks. He said the bottlers would play a “complementary” role in the Green Mountain agreement.

Source: Financial Times