Coca-Cola Splash Bar

INNOVATIVE RESEARCH | PRODUCT DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT

SITUATION:

The Coca-Cola Company partnered up with Product Ventures to create opportunities for underserved communities to engage with Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages’ (HCCB) value chain through their Splash Bar initiative. This initiative aimed to make Coca-Cola products accessible at affordable prices in remote areas with limited resources, where incomes were low, and every expense was closely monitored.

CHALLENGE:

Product Ventures was tasked with designing a solution to enable the easy dispensing of chilled Coca-Cola products without the need for cost-prohibitive amenities like electricity. The challenge for this product design was to empower local kiosks and small stores to sell Coca-Cola products in small quantities while keeping costs low, thus reaching a population that had historically been overlooked.

APPROACH:

Product Ventures took a comprehensive approach, designing, engineering, developing, and prototyping the Splash Bar dispenser. This innovative dispenser facilitated the easy and cost-effective dispensing of Coca-Cola products, enabling local businesses in economically depressed areas to sell single-serve quantities. The product design was a game-changer in this market, as it did not rely on electricity, making it suitable for areas with limited infrastructure.

RESULT:

Product Ventures’ design and engineering efforts had a significant impact on the success of Coca-Cola’s Splash Bar initiative. The dispenser allowed local vendors to augment their businesses effectively, ultimately improving their lives and the lives of others in underserved communities.

President and COO of Coca Cola James Quincey stated (making a specific reference to affordability in the Indian context) that India now sells the “cheapest, most accessible Coke you can probably buy in the world.” What started in 2013 with 31 splash bars run by rural women in Gujarat, has now been scaled up to 30,000+ splash bars selling over 1.5 million cups of Coca-Cola products per day. This innovative product design solution made a substantial difference by providing accessible and affordable Coca-Cola products to underserved populations in remote areas. Read more