News

What are ya' drinking? New technology gives more accurate answer than ever

July 19, 2016

Beverage dispensing company Lancer has partnered with beverage data company Weissberger to create a platform that turns Lancer fountain dispensing machines into smart dispensers. Already, Coca-Cola and the U.S. quick-serve chains of Carl's Jr. and Hardee's have signed on to pilot the new technology. Eventually, more than 500,000 U.S. fountain dispensers will be changed into smart machines to provide ongoing data to retailers and drink manufacturers about their brands' performance as it relates to beverage consumption. 

"This agreement propels technological disruption for the beverage industry unlike anything that's been done before," said Weissbeerger COO lan Sobel in a news release announcing the partnership. "With our technology installed in Lancer machines, we are able to offer fountain beverage manufacturers and customers unparalleled insights and analytical data that will revolutionize the way they operate across every element of the fountain value chain."

Lancer Vice President of Business Development John Hawkins agreed, adding that the partnership gives his company critical insight into customer behavior. He said it would allow use of the data culled through the machines to be used to increase sales and track consumer behavior. 

At Coca-Cola food service, National Sales Vice President Scott Woodburn said  "The Weissbeerger technology did just that and we have been very impressed with its ability to enable us to better understand our business and to make smarter business decisions across the fountain business."

The newly outfitted fountain dispensers allow food service operators to record and analyze sales trends by machine and by valve. The platform also provides real-time dashboards for both retailers and beverage makers to improve business performance through better and more accurate marketing, purchasing and even dynamic pricing promotions depending on the time of day, week or event. The platform also allows managers to monitor the carbonation  levels, and serving temperatures of their beverages more accurately and responsively. 

Overall, the companies involved in the new offering believe that the platform will also end up reducing costs per serving since ordering can now be accomplished by clicking a button, based simply on the data provided about each beverage's volume of consumption, as culled from beverage analytics in the new platform.