TECH HACK
A look at the latest handiwork of Tech’s tinkerers.
Coca-Cola Freestyle’s Winning Formula Roger Slavens
Tech alumni play a major role in developing the technology and business strategy of Coca-Cola’s groundbreaking drink dispenser If the curvy, racy red Coca-Cola Freestyle
drink dispenser reminds you of a Ferrari, it’s with good reason. Their sleek-andstylish exteriors are both designed by Pininfarina, the legendary Italian sports car design firm. However, it’s what lies under their hoods that should really get you excited. The Freestyle machine debuted in Atlanta in late 2009, and just five years later there are more than 27,000 dispensers deployed worldwide in more than 16,000 restaurants, movie theaters and retail stores. But far before critical mass took hold, it took considerable Georgia Tech knowhow to build that first unit—which perhaps borrows more from the consumer electronics and medical industries than the traditional beverage world—and bring it to market. Of the six engineers who created the original touchscreen machine, two are Yellow Jackets: David Newman, MS EE 86, Coca-Cola Freestyle director of engineering, and Gregg Carpenter, BS ME 85, global program director of engineering. In addition, three Tech alumni played instrumental roles in spearheading the Freestyle business engineering and IT strategy. 0 3 6
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This trio recently gave the Alumni Magazine a tour of their startuplike headquarters located near Tech campus, but separate from the main Coca-Cola campus. “The Freestyle project was one of the largest internal innovation projects in the 128-year history of the company,” says Jim Sanders, IE 88, Coca-Cola group director of business development. “And so in many ways, we approached the challenge much like a high-tech startup would. And that doesn’t just mean we have a ping-pong table in the break room.” With Freestyle, Coca-Cola made a big-bet investment in a cutting-edge innovation, Sanders says. “We had to operate in a quick and nimble environment,” he adds. “In this building, we house dozens of cross-functional associates—all 100-percent focused on Freestyle.” The genesis for Coca-Cola Freestyle came in the mid-2000s when company leaders recognized consumers wanted a
better fountain-drink experience in restaurants and retail locations. “First off, they wanted more variety,” Sanders says. “Typically they could only order six to eight flavors, and usually only one of them a no-calorie option. Consumers also wanted more consistency in the taste of dispensed drinks. And younger consumers wanted a more engaging and personalized experience.” Charged with these demands, the soft-drink giant launched the Coca-Cola Freestyle project (code-named JET)— and handpicked some of its top technical minds to start working on the considerable engineering issues at hand. “One of the most obvious obstacles was being able to deliver what they asked for in a limited footprint,” says Marc Katz,