By Ian Reynolds-Young
Just last week, we ran a story on PV reporting the claim of ‘a European first’ for Smart Soda It’s an easy claim to make, but a tough one to justify. So, before the summer wind-down, we thought it might be instructive to make a few supplementary enquiries. It turns out that an old mate of ours, Bill Bruce, PR extraordinaire, has been enlisted to fly the flag for Smart Soda.
So I gave him a bell and after the usual introductory banter I got down to brass tacks. ‘Between you and me mate, is this really a big deal or have you been sprinkling your magic dust again?’ I got, in return, more than the expected guffaw.
‘It’s not every day that you have the opportunity to get involved in something you really believe in’, he said.
At PV, we cover the occasional story from the water sector of the industry, but it’s not a subject we’re steeped in. Bill, on the other hand, has done his research…
‘To start with’, he says, visibly girding his loins, ‘Smart Soda is the world’s first water company to offer functional pH-enhanced, vitamin-infused sodas and flavoured waters. It’s crafted with alkaline water and made with only reduced British beet sugar – or no sugar at all – via a post mix dispenser.
‘Let’s be fair, the project at No. 1 Soho Place was always going to be a prestigious one. Smart Soda got the job because of their reputation for helping companies to do something tangible to demonstrate that they really do care about the wellbeing of their staff. What better way than through the provision of unlimited, healthy and sustainable drinks?
‘Smart Soda is all about consistency in terms of both the quality and taste of the drink. So, they scoured the market for the best equipment to deliver their drinks. The dispense solutions are delivered using a bag-in-box system – so the drinks are delivered in recyclable cardboard boxes. Bag-in-box reduces carbon footprint by taking up less space and reducing weight in the supply chain.
The briefest pause for breath, the quickest mop of the brow; and then Bill resumes: “In this way, Smart Soda eliminates the creation, distribution, storage, and waste disposal of lorry loads of plastic bottles and cans. Each 5 litre bag-in-box drinks removes 120 (330ml) cans or 80 (500ml) bottles from the distribution chain.’
So that’s the product, then, but what about the dispensing system itself, what’s so innovative about that? I’d lit the blue touch paper; I stood well back…
‘The Smart Soda bridge tower incorporates 10 Multiplex® CRAFTtaps,’ he begins. ‘They’re made from a hundred percent stainless steel and each streamline post-mix valve tap delivers a durable and hygienic – not to mention easy-to-clean – dispense solution which ensures drinks are served at a consistent cold temperature and a consistent taste every time.’
The development of the bridge tower is a story in itself. ‘The tower is an object lesson in collaborative successful teamwork, in this case involving Tricon Foodservice Consultants, cooling and dispense equipment specialists Multiplex Welbilt Halesowen and Italian draft dispensing system specialists Global Fountain’, Bill said. ‘Different businesses that share a similar ethos and are happy to share their expertise to create something that delivers the kind of all-round excellence that really does redefine what’s possible.’
By the end of our chat, Bill had forwarded an e-mail from Global Fountain’s Massimo Todeshini. ‘This is the first, and only, dispensing unit of its type in Europe’, it read. ‘It was great to have the opportunity to work on the development of a bespoke unit which we know is operating perfectly and has been so well received. Despite the special nature of the unit, requiring the fitting of a lot of technology into such a small space, from the initial request to installation took only eight weeks.’
So, it’s not just Bill getting excited.
I’m grateful to my old mate for allowing himself to be put on the spot and I think we both enjoyed the catch-up. Having said that, judging by the buzz at No 1 Soho Place, we’ll soon be catching up on a much more regular basis…
Catch up on the original Smart Soda story HERE on PV
Keep up to speed with Planet Vending.
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