You still drinking soda?
Monday, March 27, 2006
Sales of carbonated beverages fell in 2005 for the first time in two decades. According to the industry trade publication, Beverage Digest, 10.2 billion cases of soda were sold last year, down almost 1% compared with sales in 2004. The big soda companies have been fighting the slowdown for several years, hoping to revive interest in pop by adding colors and flavors. Remember blue colas? We also were treated to colas with vanilla, lemon, lime, berry, cherry, and, of course, extra caffeine.But nothing has turned the ebbing tide yet, so what will they try next? Here’s an idea: A firm called Ipifini has created a “programmable” beverage container, which is basically a plastic soda bottle with six little plastic bubble-like structures protruding from the top. Each bubble (or “button” as the company calls them) would contain a separate flavoring that could be injected into the beverage by squeezing the bubble. With these containers, consumers won’t have to make the tough decisions (cherry-or-vanilla-cola?) while they are in the stores. Instead, they can take six-packs home and decide the flavoring when they’re ready to pour.
posted by Michael Tavani @ 8:18 PM |
