Dive Brief:
- SodaStream announced during an earnings call that it will be expanding its selection of compatible beverages beyond soda with a new machine that produces both single-serve and multi-serve cold sparkling, flavored, and hot beverages, which includes coffee, as reported by Food Business News.
- As a soda maker, SodaStream isn't immune to the sagging soda market, so it makes sense that the company would try to branch out into other realms of beverages. And after reporting mixed earnings this week, new company strategies are no surprise either.
- What's interesting is that Keurig and SodaStream are facing each other at a crossroads, as Keurig pursues soda sales with its new Keurig Kold machine, while SodaStream also branches out toward coffee.
Dive Insight:
SodaStream aims to connect with the tech-savvy consumer as well. During an earnings call reported by Food Business News, SodaStream CEO Daniel Birnbaum said, "This Wi-Fi-enabled Internet-of-things device will produce any beverage you can think of at a touch of a screen, providing great value, a responsible environmental footprint, an empowering consumer experience, as the consumer will control carbonation level, flavor intensity and temperature, all with a beautiful design representing kitchen jewelry."
SodaStream needs to keep up as Keurig signs distribution deals with major food manufacturers. In the company's recent news, its Dunkin' K-Cup packs will be marketed and distributed to stores by The J.M. Smucker Company, as well as through Keurig, Dunkin' Donuts' U.S. locations, and online. This retail expansion will take place in the middle of 2015.