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CCEP will partner with Innovative Tap Solutions (ITS) as part of its commitment to creating innovation in dispensed drink technology; to increase value for consumers and reduce packaging waste in their Action on Packaging initiative
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CCEP Ventures will take a 25% stake in Chicago-based ITS
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ITS’s PourMyBeer is the leading provider of self-pour beverage systems with over 7,000 taps in service across 270 locations worldwide
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The ITS technology allows restaurants, cafes, offices, stadiums, and other venues to serve consumers quicker and more conveniently, reducing operating costs and touchpoints
CCEP Ventures, the investment arm of Coca-Cola European Partners, has acquired a 25% stake in ITS – the creators of technology that enables consumers to pour their own beverages (PourMyBeer) and increase efficiencies for the hospitality industry. Branded Strategic Hospitality, an investment & solutions platform headquartered in New York City, also participated in the investment.
The investment will see CCEP work with Innovative Tap Solutions to introduce self-pour dispense technology to CCEP’s customers in Western Europe, beginning with a trial in Spain. ITS’s technology allows consumers to pour and pay for drinks themselves – cutting down queues, reducing the need for unnecessary contact and wait times, and freeing up staff.
The partnership also represents another step forward for CCEP’s Action on Packaging strategy, launched in 2017. CCEP is committed to investing and innovating in refillable and dispensed delivery models to eliminate packaging waste and lower its carbon footprint. CCEP is looking at developing suitable dispense solutions for different environments, and the partnership with Innovative Tap Solution is a key part of this initiative.
This agreement forms part of the wider CCEP Ventures program – which aims to find, fund, and nurture new technology and innovation.
Nik Jhangiani, Chief Financial Officer at CCEP, said: “We are committed to supporting package-free technology and finding new ways to help our customers increase value, reduce their costs and provide a better experience to consumers. ITS is an exciting and ambitious business. We are confident we can help them expand successfully into the soft drinks category and grow their presence in Western Europe.”
Josh Goodman, Founder & CEO of Innovative Tap Solutions dba PourMyBeer, commented on the partnership: “We’re excited to take this Self-Pour Revolution to the next level with CCEP. Less than 5 years ago, our company was just me and one other person and our focus was just self-pour taprooms dispensing beer, wine, and cocktails through our technology.”
“The market has spoken, customers and business owners love the concept, efficiency, and experience. We’re a liquid-agnostic company that wants to grow in the non-alcoholic space. Our partnership with CCEP ensures that we can continue investing in our technology to scale with the increasing demand.”
About CCEP Ventures: CCEP Ventures is Coca-Cola European Partners’ innovation investment fund, providing early-stage funding to start-ups with ideas that solve a problem or create an opportunity for the business. Our goal is to find, invest in, and support entrepreneurs and start-ups whose innovations have the potential to drive growth in our business through collaboration and partnership and that align with our areas of development – including transforming the customer experience, creating new distribution models, designing the packaging of the future, and developing more intelligent systems for pricing and data management.
The investments we make through CCEP Ventures are part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring that, as technology and consumer behaviors change, people can continue to access the drinks they love in the way that they choose.
About Innovative Tap Solutions dba PourMyBeer: PourMyBeer’s self-pour technology enables faster, more efficient access to beverages by allowing consumers to pour their own beer, wine, cocktails, cold brew, and kombucha, and pay by the ounce. PourMyBeer is the world leader of self-pour, serving customers such as Whole Foods, Buffalo Wild Wings, the U.S. Air Force, Caesars Entertainment, Walk-Ons, and many more. PourMyBeer has over 7,000 taps in service at bars, restaurants, casinos, hotels, and grocery stores around the world. For more information on ITS, please visit www.InnovativeTapSolutions.com or www.PourMyBeer.com.
