Coffee-pod company Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. has announced a joint venture with drinks giant Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) to research and develop an in-home alcoholic-drink system.
It will build on the former Keurig KOLD beverage-machine technology and combine it with AB InBev's brewing and packaging skills to create a system that can cater to the whole gamut of the adult beverage category, including beer, spirits, cocktails and mixers.
The KOLD machine first started to roll out in 2015, but was axed in mid-2016 due to the fact it 'did not fully deliver on [its] expectations, particularly around size, speed, and value', according to the company's website.
The new venture will focus on the US and be located in the Massachusetts and Vermont facilities. Employees will be chosen from existing personnel.
The CEO of the new venture, Nathaniel Davis, said, "We’re thrilled to be moving forward with this joint venture and look forward to working closely with the Keurig Green Mountain team to explore the possibilities of what we can achieve together. We can’t wait to get started."
Keurig Green Mountain, Inc. currently has 70 brands and 445 beverage varieties compatible with its Keurig hot-beverage system.
In 2015, AB InBev posted $55.5 billion in revenues on a combined pro-forma basis.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Karen Henderson. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
