PETpla.net Insider 03 / 2018

BEVERAGE INGREDIENTS PET planet Insider Vol. 19 No. 03/18 www.petpla.net 16 Dry and liquid ingredients combine in a reusable bottle to create beverage blends in a variety of flavours Peel, pop and shake A PepsiCo venture, Drinkfinity announced the launch of a new personalised beverage designed to fit the individual lifestyles of today’s busy go-getters. With Drinkfinity, people can combine the dry and liquid ingredients contained in portable Pods with water in a spe- cially designed, reusable bottle, the “Vessel”, and create beverage blends in a variety of fla- vours. Piloted in Brazil in 2014, PepsiCo is now launching the product in the United States and in selected markets in Europe. As sales in carbonated soft drinks decrease, beverage giant Pepsi has come up with a creative dual-chamber Pod system for consumers to flavour their water as they like. The con- sumer orders a reusable co-polyester bottle online in which he pours drink- ing water. After inserting a PET pod with a flavour of choice, the hitherto sealed pod will release its dry and liquid ingredients to create a 20-ounce (591ml) beverage. All 12 blends are free of artificial sweeteners and fla- vours and contain only natural sugar, intended to appeal today’s health-con- scious consumers. “Drinkfinity is a delicious new beverage option that allows today’s busy consumer the unique opportunity to personalise a drink based on their individual preferences and unique lifestyle needs,” said Hernan Marina, Vice President, Global Business Inno- vation, Drinkfinity. “Better yet, Drinkfin- ity was made to do more than just hydrate – it was created with a simple vision to make a beverage that con- nects the dots between wellness and versatility, while trying to balance the needs of both people and the planet.” Each portable Drinkfinity pod falls within one of four ‘modes’, including caffeine-containing “Charge” pods, vitamin infused “Flow” mode, electro- lyte-packed “Renew” capsules or the “Chill” mode featuring relaxing botani- cals. Within each ‘mode’ there are multiple flavour profiles, such as Açaí, Pomegranate Ginger, Elderflower and Coconut Water Watermelon, which are made up of dry and liquid ingredi- ents like chia seeds, acai fruit, ginger root extract and concentrated fruit juices. The dry and liquid ingredients within each pod are sealed separately in dual chambers until the beverage is mixed with cold water in the Drinkfinity vessel to create a beverage that can be enjoyed on-the-go and throughout the day. Pod recycling Drinkfinity has partnered with Loop Industries, Canada, and TerraCycle, UK, for a free recycling programme for empty pods. Up to 30 used pods have to be collected at home before being boxed and returned via a free- post envelope to the hubs where they can be recycled. However, the brand states that their goal is to invest in technologies to allow the manufacture of pods that are even easier to recycle and made from 100% post-consumer recycled PET. www.drinkfinity.com BEVERAGE +ingredients After inserting a pod with a flavour of choice, the hitherto sealed pod will release its dry and liquid ingredients in the water-filled bottle to create a 591ml beverage. The Drinkfinity set consists of a co-polyester bottle, the “vessel”, and a dual- chamber PET pod.