The Coca-Cola Company and Sodexo Invite University of Wisconsin-Parkside to Experience the Fountain of the Future

KENOSHA, Wis., Jan. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Coca-Cola Freestyle®, The Coca-Cola Company's new proprietary fountain, launches at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. This exciting new fountain technology will now be available to employees, visitors, and students of UW-Parkside whenever they dine at the Sodexo on-site Brickstone Grill and Eatery. Long-time customer of The Coca-Cola Company, Sodexo plans to offer Coca-Cola Freestyle in more than 100 of its locations across the U.S., including hospitals, colleges, office buildings, zoos, museums, and aquariums.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120123/NE39454 )

The sleek, stylish new fountains are touch screen operated, enabling people to select from more than 100 regular and low-calorie brands – including many varieties of waters, sports drinks, lemonades and sparkling beverages that, prior to the arrival of Coca-Cola Freestyle, were not available in the U.S.  The self-serve fountains – which represent a complete departure from anything The Coca-Cola Company has offered previously – were in development for more than four years prior to launching in 2010.

As part of their partnership, Coca-Cola Freestyle and Sodexo encourage people to Live Positively™ by offering them more than 70 diet and low-calorie beverages and more than 90 caffeine-free beverages– choices to fit every lifestyle and taste.

Coca-Cola Freestyle is now available in nearly 2,100 outlets and more than 75 markets, covering 43 states across the U.S., including Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C. The Company plans future U.S. introductions throughout 2012.

"We have created a concept that has quickly become recognized as the soda fountain of the future – a representation of the way people will experience Coca-Cola beverages years from now," said Gene Farrell, vice president and general manager, Coca-Cola Freestyle.

In-market results indicate an increase in beverage servings, total transactions and total restaurant sales. The Coca-Cola Freestyle fountain uses unique, proprietary PUREPOUR TECHNOLOGY™ and has the capacity to dispense more than 100 beverage varieties in the same amount of space as a standard eight-valve machine.  Coca-Cola Freestyle is also environmentally responsible, eliminating 30 percent of the water and packaging associated with traditional fountain equipment, which supports Sodexo's Better Tomorrow commitments to reduce water intensity and non-organic waste at all of its client sites.

"The students are really having fun creating their own new beverages, said Stephanie Sirovatka-Marshall, interim director, Parkside Student Center. "We are excited to be at the forefront of integrating the Coca-Cola Freestyle machines as part of our superb dining experience here at UW-Parkside." 

Coca-Cola Freestyle

The sleek, stylish new Coca-Cola Freestyle fountains are touch screen operated, enabling people to select from more than 100 regular and low-calorie brands. Many varieties of waters, sports drinks, lemonades and sparkling beverages are now available to people in the U.S exclusively with Coca-Cola Freestyle.  Coca-Cola Freestyle dispensers use unique, proprietary PUREPOUR TECHNOLOGY™ and have the capacity to dispense more than 100 brands in the same footprint as a standard eight-valve machine.  Coca-Cola Freestyle is now available in nearly 2,100 outlets and more than 75 markets across 43 states, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C. The Company plans future U.S. introductions throughout 2011. To learn more about Coca-Cola Freestyle, visit www.coca-colafreestyle.com or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cocacolafreestyle and Twitter @ccfreestyle.

The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world's most valuable brand, our Company's portfolio features 15 billion dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of 1.7 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system employees. For more information, please visit www.thecoca-colacompany.com or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo.

About Sodexo

Sodexo in North America

Sodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com), leading Quality of Daily Life Solutions company in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, delivers On-site Service Solutions in Corporate, Education, Health Care, Government, and Remote Site segments, as well as Motivation Solutions such as Esteem Pass. Sodexo, Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation (www.SodexoFoundation.org), an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $17 million in grants to end childhood hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog at www.sodexoUSA.com/blog.

Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Daily Life Solutions

Quality of Life plays an important role in the progress of individuals and the performance of organizations. Based on this conviction, Sodexo acts as a partner for companies and institutions that place a premium on performance and employee well-being, as it has since Pierre Bellon founded the company in 1966. Sharing the same passion for service, Sodexo's 413,000 employees in 80 countries design, manage and deliver an unrivaled array of Quality of Life Services. Sodexo has created a new form of service business that contributes to the fulfillment of its employees and the economic, social and environmental development of the communities, regions and countries in which it operates.

Key figures (as of August 31, 2011)

SOURCE Sodexo, Inc.