Fast Company reports on a new company called uFlavor, that promises to bring custom sodas to the masses — both in the mail and via internet connected vending machines.
Picture this: You are sitting in, say, a Bermuda hotel on vacation. Suddenly you are struck by a crazy idea for a new soft drink taste. So you dial up a website, and with the guidance of a simple system you digitally mix the ingredients, adding 1% more cinnamon, a dash of lime, the merest hint of mango and control the carbonation to create a fantasy beverage that’ll explode on the tongue. Then you refine the color of the drink, design a label, and order yourself a bottle or two. Soon enough, they arrive in the mail.
Now, since the system is social, a person visiting an associated vending machine in, say, Dayton, Ohio, just moments later could be attracted by your drink’s potential, press a button, and have a liquid delivered that matches your design. And you get a portion of the profits. Incredible, right? And don’t overlook the implications, which could be enormous, especially if you manage to craft a drink that’s more attractive than any of the billion-dollar brands that are out there, and the taste catches on. That’s the ultimate goal of new company uFlavor.
Is this the future of vending?