Coca-Cola Invests Big in Custom Drinks Amid Restaurant Trends Shift

Coca-Cola is adapting to changing beverage trends in restaurants by developing new equipment and products that allow for custom drinks. The company is working on technology that can combine soft drinks with syrups, cream, and other ingredients to create unique flavors.

The move comes as restaurants increasingly turn to specialty drinks to attract customers and boost sales. According to Circana data, beverage servings at restaurants outpaced food-only and food-and-beverage combined servings in the second quarter.

Coca-Cola's Freestyle dispenser has delivered over 67 billion eight-ounce servings since its introduction 17 years ago. The company is now developing a smaller Freestyle Mini for bars and restaurants with limited space, which can offer up to 16 drink choices.