Coke Eases Into Home Beverage Market

The soft drink maker has teamed up with Green Mountain to develop Coke-branded products for the soon-to-be-released Keurig Cold system.

February 07, 2014

ATLANTA – Soon, you’ll be able to make your favorite Coca-Cola beverages in the comfort of your own home. At least that’s the idea behind Coke’s collaboration with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, maker of Keurig coffee pod machines. The pair signed a deal to develop Coke-branded products for use in the Keurig Cold in-home beverage system, which is yet to be released, Advertising Age reports.

The partnership with Coke gives Green Mountain a “significant opportunity to premiumize and accelerate growth in the cold-beverage category by empowering consumers with an innovative, convenient way to freshly prepare their favorite cold beverages at the push of a button,” said Brian Kelley, president and CEO of Green Mountain.

The Keurig Cold system is modeled after the very popular hot beverage, single-serve system. With a projected in-store date sometime in 2015, the cold version will also have pods that will mix with carbonation to dispense drinks, enhanced waters, juices, teas and sports drinks. Green Mountain will have exclusive rights to Coke-branded single-serve pods for cold drinks.

“The pod business has been driving growth in the coffee category,” said John Sicher, editor and publisher of Beverage Digest. Pod systems appeal to consumers “because of convenience and because of an interest in cool technology.”

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