Introducing Drinkfinity

PepsiCo has unveiled Drinkfinity at FUTR M2020, an innovative, personalised new beverage for wellness-minded consumers, which aims to provide a versatile and healthy alternative to fizzy drinks

A new drink specifically tailored to people’s different needs throughout the day has been launched in the UK. Hoping to prompt a “rethink” about the way we consume beverages, PepsiCo’s Drinkfinity offers a choice of low-calorie, easy-to-prepare drinks containing a blend of dry and liquid ingredients such as oat bran, spirulina, lemongrass extract, ginger, vitamins and fruit juices.

The drinks, which contain no artificial flavours, and sweeteners from purely natural sources, are made by combining cold water with portable ‘Pods’ in a reusable water bottle or ‘Vessel’. Peeling the Pods’ labels and popping them bursts their dry and concentrated liquid chambers, releasing the contents into the Vessel which is then given a shake. The 20-ounce Vessel itself is BPA-free and dishwasher-safe, and features a magnetic button that keeps the top cap in place while drinking.

Drinkfinity’s mission statement is: ‘A drink for every you’, and the Pods come in four “mood-based” ‘modes’ – Charge, Flow, Renew and Chill – reflecting consumers’ multifaceted lifestyles, versatile requirements and their desire for choice and personalisation. Consumers can choose between six flavours: Mandarin Orange Charge, Mango Oats Flow, White Peach Chill, Pineapple Coconut Water Renew, Blackberry Açaí Charge and Lemon Spirulina Flow. The latter is an infusion of botanical flavours with lemon juice, while Blackberry Açaí Charge is a Brazilian-inspired tropical blend.

The product has impressive green credentials too: each pack of Pods comes with a freepost returns envelope so that customers can send their Pods back for recycling. Along with each purchase Drinkfinity will donate £1 to Water.org, which helps provide safe water to developing countries.

Drinkfinity was first conceived in 2009 by co-founder Hernan Marina, vice president of Drinkfinity's global business innovation division, and enjoyed a successful trial period in Brazil from 2014 onward. It’s also now on sale in the US and Europe – everywhere from San Marino to Slovakia and Vatican City. Marina says the product came about as a result of PepsiCo’s desire to respond to shifting consumer priorities around versatility, personalisation and sustainability, “in an era where attitudes towards wellness is rapidly evolving.” Its conception may also have something to do with the fact that sales of non-diet sodas have plunged by more than 25 per cent over the past 20 years, and manufacturers have been seeking alternatives.

Interestingly, PepsiCo diverged from the typical development process for Drinkfinity, eschewing the usual market research and focus groups, and instead concentrated its efforts on prototyping, creating hundreds of iterations of the Vessel and Pods, with each round critiqued by a group of international consumers.

And PepsiCo has every confidence in the final result: says Marina, “No matter whether you’re working out at the gym or winding down at night, the ingredients, coupled with inspiring innovation, make staying hydrated tasty and enjoyable.”

Drinkfinity Vessels cost £20, while a four-pack of Pods is £6.50. It’s available to purchase online at www.drinkfinity.co.uk