Pepsi's New Beverage Platform Feels Very Crafted

Crafted beverages are the future. That’s according to drinks companies, at least. There’s been a big push of late to simultaneously provide more choice, more freedom, and a more handcrafted nature to customers’ drinks, and we’re seeing both restaurants and Big Beverage step up. The Coca-Cola Company did so in big fashion this year, with the launch of its new Freestyle dispensers, which give customers the ability to make custom beverages and share their favorite mixes with each other.

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Well, Pepsi was not to be outdone. And so, we now have its own beverage platform, which the company has called its “House of Treats.” Let’s discuss.

Pepsi House Of Treats

Pepsi announced its House of Treats platform in a press release yesterday, in which it set out its stall for the future of beverages. “Consumers are increasingly seeking personalised, elevated experiences that feel memorable and worth sharing,” stated PepsiCo’s Chief Executive Officer of International Beverages, Eugene Willemsen. “Pepsi ”House of Treats” is designed to meet that shift.” The statement went on to discuss how PepsiCo could unlock “premium growth and operational efficiency,” and a little more corporate-y lingo that’s a bit too much to go into here – but essentially, the company’s betting on the success of these new crafted drinks, and their ability to offer something different.

Unlike Coca-Cola’s Freestyle machines, which give customers the ability to make their own drinks, PepsiCo is instead focusing on offering a specific menu of new flavors that have an experimental, elevated feel. Options like Yuzu Lychee and White Peach Sangria will now presumably be available alongside its regular beverages at select locations. PepsiCo intends to offer its House of Treats platform in restaurant chains and places like sports stadiums.

And Can I Enter The House of Treats Now?

Yes, but only if you’re in certain places. Pepsi’s platform launched in the UK at a Pepsi MAX SXSW London activity, and it will continue to roll out across other UK venues throughout June and onward. It’ll also be going live in a couple of European markets, including Poland and the Czech Republic, this year.

As yet, though, access for US customers feels a little less clear. PepsiCo makes no mention of a rollout in US markets just yet, so there might be a bit of a wait there. If its initial launches are a success, though, these drinks will no doubt be Stateside sometime soon.