Delivers Fresh-Made Cold Beverages at Home at the Push of a Button, Including Favorites from The Coca-Cola Company and Dr Pepper Snapple Group, along with Craft Sodas, Iced Teas, Seltzers, Flavored Water, Sports Hydration Drinks, Cocktail Mixers and More
by Timothy MCQuiston Vermont Business Magazine With much riding on it, Keurig Green Mountain, Inc today announced the launch of the Keurig KOLD system, the first beverage system that allows consumers to freshly make cold sparkling and still beverages at home at the push of a button, including brands from The Coca-Cola Company and Dr Pepper Snapple Group. Keurig KOLD - the first personal cold beverage system that offers a wide variety of consumers' favorite beverages like Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Dr Pepper and Canada Dry, plus new discoveries, fresh-made at home, at the push of a button. Unlike rival SodaStream, the Keurig KOLD system does not employ a separate CO2 container to create the seltzer in the carbonated beverages.
Shares of Keurig (NASDAQ: GMCR) were up about 2 percent by noon Tuesday after closing Monday at $53.19; the 52-week range is $45.25 - $158.87. The release of the KOLD system had been expected somewhat later in the fall.
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"Keurig has redefined the way consumers enjoy coffee and tea in their homes and offices and today with the launch of Keurig KOLD, we're embarking on a new journey that will change the way consumers enjoy cold beverages at home," said Brian Kelley, President and CEO of Keurig. "The disruptive countertop-size innovation in KOLD is like nothing consumers have ever experienced - from the rapid chilling that turns room temperature water to a perfectly chilled drink at the push of a button; to the dispensing technology that produces consistently great tasting beverages; to the pod technology which enables fully carbonated beverages. KOLD delivers game changing, on-demand variety of sparkling or non-carbonated beverages all fresh made with Keurig simplicity."
Coca-Cola's large stake in Keurig (and CEO Brian Kelley is a former Coke executive) is largely predicated on Coke entering the at-home beverage market. Meanwhile, the sugary drink market has suffered in recent years because of health concerns. With KOLD, Keurig and Coke can compete in the at-home beverage market, while offering a greater selection of drinks other than just coffee or soda.
For investors, the risk Coke has taken in Keurig will finally be realized, or not. Shares of Keurig, which has been a volatile stock for several years, have suffered for nearly a year as its newest hot coffee maker has not taken off to the extent hoped for, while its traditional single-serve brewer faces stiff competition.
Shares of Keurig (NASDAQ: GMCR) closed Monday at $53.19 and the 52-week range is $45.25 - $158.87. The release of the KOLD system was originally expected later in the fall.
For the first time consumers will be able to actually make a Coca-Cola or a Dr Pepper on their kitchen counter. The Keurig KOLD system encourages choice and discovery, including new and exciting exclusive beverage brands from categories including craft and fountain-style sodas, zero- and low-calorie flavored seltzers and waters, sports hydration drinks, iced teas and - coming soon - cocktail mixers.
Beginning today, the new Keurig KOLD system is available to order on Keurig.com and will be sold at select retailers both online and in six cities beginning in October, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and New York.
In addition to the versatility of the system and broad beverage variety available, the Keurig KOLD system incorporates innovative features and technology, including:
- Fresh-made. The KOLD™ pod and drinkmaker do all the work. Simply remove the freshness seal from the bottom of the pod, pop it in, push the button and freshly make a cold beverage, mixed to just the right taste each and every time.
- Carbonation without a CO2 canister. To make carbonated beverages, the Keurig® KOLD™ system uniquely uses Karbonator™ beads, which are contained within the pod and hold beverage-grade CO2. During the drink making process, CO2 is naturally released into the beverage to perfectly carbonate each drink.
- Drinks delivered chilled. The innovative KOLD™ chiller uses an aerospace-inspired thermal transfer system to rapidly cool beverages to the ideal chilled temperature.
- Perfectly portioned. Keurig® KOLD™ delivers beverages at an eight-ounce portion size, and nearly all beverages have 100 calories or less.
- Space savings. KOLD™ pods need no refrigeration so consumers can easily store more beverage choices in their pantry or in their countertop KOLD™ pod carousel, offering everyone, including family and guests, exactly the cold beverage they want, when they want it.
Kelley concluded, "We're excited to introduce Keurig KOLD to consumers today and are appreciative of the strong collaboration of our beverage brand partners, The Coca-Cola Company and Dr Pepper Snapple Group. The inclusion of their great brands strengthens the appeal of Keurig KOLD. In addition, we believe Coca-Cola's marketing strengths and global distribution capabilities will be instrumental in the years to come as we look to expand the reach of Keurig KOLD beyond North America."
Beverage brands offered in the Keurig® KOLD™ system portfolio include:
- From The Coca-Cola Company: Coca-Cola®, Diet Coke®, Coke Zero®, Sprite®, Fanta®
- From the Dr Pepper Snapple Group: Dr Pepper®, Canada Dry®
- From Keurig:
- Seraphine™: Zero-calorie seltzers in Mediterranean fruit flavors including Passion Fruit and Persian Lime
- FLYTE™: Thirst-quenching sports hydration drinks, including Lemon Lime Launch, Red Rush and zero-calorie Overtime Orange
- Waterful™: Zero-calorie, lightly flavored and sweetened waters in flavors including Blissful Berry and Citrus Celebration
- Red Barn Craft Soda™: Naturally flavored craft soda made with pure cane sugar. Available varieties include Cane Cola, Root Beer and Zesty Lemon Lime
- Flynn's Soda Shop™: Soda fountain classics including Orange Cream, Diet Orange Cream, Root Beer, Diet Root Beer and Vanilla Cream that taste as good as dessert
- Tierney's Iced Tea™: Range of still, sparkling and diet iced teas. Available varieties include Diet Peach, Lemon Mint and Passion Fruit Raspberry.
The Keurig® KOLD™ drinkmaker ($369.99 SRP) is available in either white or black, and comes with a set of two Keurig® KOLD™ drinkmaker glasses. The KOLD™ pods ($4.49-$4.99 SRP for a four-count box) along with additional drinkmaker accessories, such as storage carousels and a variety of specialty-designed glassware, are now available on www.keurig.com/KOLD.
About Keurig Green Mountain, Inc.
Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. (Keurig) (NASDAQ: GMCR) is reimagining how beverages can be created, personalized, and enjoyed, fresh-made in homes and workplaces. We are a personal beverage system company revolutionizing the beverage experience through the power of innovative technology and strategic brand partnerships. With an expanding family of more than 80 beloved brands and more than 575 beverage varieties, our Keurig® hot and Keurig KOLD™ beverage systems deliver great taste, convenience, and choice at the push of a button. As a company founded on social responsibility, we are committed to using the power of business to brew a better world through our work to build resilient supply chains, sustainable products, thriving communities, and a water-secure world.
WATERBURY, Vt.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Keurig Green Mountain, Inc