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Inside Coca-Cola’s secretive innovation labs: How the beverage giant wants to automate dirty soda and refreshers

Cnbc · · 2039 words · By Amelia Lucas
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What to know about Inside Coca-Cola’s secretive innovation labs: How the beverage giant wants to automate dirty soda and refreshers

ATLANTA — Coca-Cola is branching out into new customizable drinks and trend-driven equipment as consumers — and food service operators — increasingly want more options.

Claims checked 21
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center75%
Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

ATLANTA — Coca-Cola is branching out into new customizable drinks and trend-driven equipment as consumers — and food service operators — increasingly want more options.

Why it matters

Tucked away in an anonymous office park not far from its global headquarters here, Coke has been working on a flood of innovation at its secretive labs, including a way for its Freestyle drink dispensers to make dirty sodas, which combine pop with flavored…

Common ground

In partnership with AMC Theatres, it is testing a Micro Matic dispenser that can make brightly colored refreshers.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/22/coca-cola-innovation-labs-dirty-sodas-refreshers…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 21 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 11
verified Verified By Reference 4
check_circle Corroborated 4
help Insufficient Evidence 1
info Single Source 1
schedule
Claim 1: “Sprite... ranked fifth among U.S. carbonated soft drink brands by 2025 sales volume, according to Beverage Digest.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 2: “In May, the fast-food giant [McDonald's] expanded its McCafe menu in the U.S. to include refreshers and crafted sodas”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 3: “On Monday, McDonald's further expanded its beverage options with the Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 4: “Ever since Freestyle began popping up in restaurants and movie theaters, the dispensers have poured more than 67 billion 8-ounce servings of beverages”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided evidence mentions Freestyle is a 'billion-dollar business' and offers 100+ flavors, but does not mention the specific figure of 67 billion 8-ounce servings.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Dr Pepper is a carbonated soft drink created in the 1880s by American pharmacist Charles Alderton in Waco, Texas. It was first marketed nationally in the United States in 1904. The beverage is manufac…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr_Pepper
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc., commonly referred to as Sony Pictures and abbreviated as SPE, is an American, Japanese-owned, multinational mass media and entertainment company that produces, acquir…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Pictures
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Sprite is a clear, lemon-lime flavored soft drink created by the Coca-Cola Company. Sprite comes in additional flavors, including cranberry, cherry, grape, orange, tropical, ginger, pineapple, and van…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprite_(drink)
+ 3 more evidence sources
help
Claim 5: “Starbucks created the refresher back in 2012”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided in the search results regarding when Starbucks created 'refreshers'.
check_circle
Claim 6: “Coke's namesake soda alone accounted for 47% of global unit case volume and 42% of U.S. unit case volume in 2025, according to a company filing.”
CORROBORATED
The claim is explicitly confirmed by two independent sources citing a company filing: 47% of global unit case volume and 42% of U.S. unit case volume in 2025.
schedule
Claim 7: “Refreshers now represent about $2 billion in annual sales for Starbucks.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 8: “In partnership with AMC Theatres, it is testing a Micro Matic dispenser that can make brightly colored refreshers.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web search results (CNBC and other industry reports) confirm that Coca-Cola is testing a Micro Matic dispenser for refreshers in partnership with AMC Theatres.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — In partnership with AMC Theatres, it is testing a Micro Matic dispenser that can make brightly colored refreshers. And Coke has more white-label beverage options on the way, like an energy drink ...
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/22/coca-cola-innovation-labs-di…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The company is also testing Micro Matic dispensers in partnership with AMC Theatres to produce brightly colored refreshers, and plans to introduce a smaller Freestyle Mini model that accommodates up t…
https://rocketnews.com/2026/08/inside-coca-colas-secretive-i…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Partnering for Market Penetration Strategic partnerships are at the core of this rollout, most notably with AMC Theatres. By deploying the new Micro Matic dispenser in cinema environments, Coca-Cola i…
https://relaypost.me/news/coca-cola-innovation-labs-dirty-so…
schedule
Claim 9: “Refreshers can be found on 8.1% of menus at national restaurant chains, according to Datassential.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 10: “Utah-based chain Swig takes credit for its invention of the dirty soda”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including Wikipedia and news reports, confirm that the Utah-based chain Swig claims to have created/coined the term 'dirty soda'.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Swig is a drive-through soda-fountain chain primarily located in the western United States.The brand is known for its popular "dirty sodas", soft drinks mixed with add-ins such as cream and flavored s…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swig_(restaurant)
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Utah-based drink chain Swig created "dirty soda" back in 2010. "Dirty soda drinks use pop as a base, followed by flavored syrups, cream or other ingredients. While Swig claims credit — and the tradema…
https://finance.yahoo.com/media-advertising/articles/target-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — From PepsiCo to Taco Bell, dirty soda is taking over Utah-based drink chain Swig coined “dirty soda” back in 2010.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/johnpkelly2_dirtysoda-dirtyso…
verified
Claim 11: “Market research firm Technomic tracks more than 100 different chains, with more than 41,000 locations across the U.S. combined, selling everything from coffee to juice to boba.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
While Technomic is confirmed as a research firm that tracks chains, the specific numbers (100+ chains, 41,000+ locations) are not present in the provided evidence.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Courtney James Reum (born July 8, 1978) is an American entrepreneur, product developer, and investment banker.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtney_Reum
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ono Hawaiian BBQ is a fast-casual restaurant chain based in Southern California with 120 locations across California and Arizona. L&L Hawaiian Barbecue and Ono Hawaiian BBQ integrated the plate lunch …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ono_Hawaiian_BBQ
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — A Roman dodecahedron or Gallo-Roman dodecahedron is a type of small hollow object made of copper alloy that has been cast into a regular dodecahedral shape with twelve flat pentagonal faces. Each face…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_dodecahedron
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 12: “The company plans to launch the beverage [colorless energy drink] with food service operators in the first half of 2027.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 13: “More than 40,000 bubbler dispensers carry the drink [white-label premium lemonade]”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 14: “Coke's sparkling soft drinks business... still accounts for 69% of the company's overall unit case volume”
CORROBORATED
Two independent sources (Stratrix and a report on Freestyle upgrades) confirm that sparkling soft drinks account for 69% of Coca-Cola's overall unit case volume.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — This July, Coca-Cola's Freestyle drink dispenser celebrated its 17th anniversary.Coke's namesake soda alone accounted for 47% of global unit case volume and 42% of U.S. unit case volume in 2025, accor…
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/22/coca-cola-innovation-labs-di…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Sparkling soft drinks represented 69% of Coca-Cola's worldwide unit case volume in 2024, with Trademark Coca-Cola alone accounting for 47% of worldwide unit case volume, underscoring the continued dom…
https://www.stratrix.com/adjacency-expansion/coke-s-move-bey…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Coke’s sparkling soft drinks business accounts for 69% of the company’s overall unit case volume, with its namesake soda alone representing 47% of global unit case volume and 42% of U.S. unit case vol…
https://www.learn-ict.org.uk/technology/coca-cola-freestyle-…
schedule
Claim 15: “Coke worked with the Texas-based burger chain [Whataburger] for about 18 months on its line of "Whatafreshers," which launched in July.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 16: “Panera Bread's Charged Lemonade was named in at least two wrongful death lawsuits.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 17: “First is the Freestyle Mini, which initially launched in Europe.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided evidence does not contain information regarding the launch location or timing of the 'Freestyle Mini'.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a cola soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. In 2013, Coke products were sold in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, with consumers drinking more than 1.8 …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Coca-Cola Lime is a soft drink produced by The Coca-Cola Company. It is a version of the original Coca-Cola containing lime flavoring. There also exist non-sugar variations based on Diet Coke or Coca-…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola_Lime
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Coca-Cola Company is an American multinational corporation founded in January 1892, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. It manufactures, sells and markets soft drinks including Coca-Cola, other non…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Coca-Cola_Company
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 18: “A 12-ounce serving of Coke's version contains 106 milligrams of caffeine”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info
Claim 19: “In the second quarter of this year, beverage servings at restaurants outpaced both servings of food alone and food with beverages, according to Circana data.”
SINGLE SOURCE
Only one specific news source (News Karnataka) reports the Circana data regarding beverage servings outpacing food in Q2. Other Circana results are generic or unrelated to this specific stat.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — According to Circana data cited in the report, beverage servings at restaurants outpaced servings of food alone and food combined with beverages during the second quarter.
https://newskarnataka.com/business/coca-cola-bets-big-on-cus…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — LinkedIn. Complete Food & Beverage. 25-34-year-olds are.Circana’s Liquid Data® technology platform is powered by an expansive, high-quality data set and intelligent algorithms trained on six decades o…
https://www.circana.com/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Circana data shows specialty sushi restaurant locations grew by 5% in the past year across the U.S., highlighting continued consumer appetite for the category. And when it comes to restaurant sushi se…
https://story-save.com/profile/wearecircana
verified
Claim 20: “This July, Coca-Cola's Freestyle drink dispenser celebrated its 17th anniversary.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia confirms Coca-Cola Freestyle was first launched in July 2009. As of July 2026 (the current context of the live evidence), this would be its 17th anniversary.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Coca-Cola Freestyle is a touch screen soda fountain distributed and run by the Coca-Cola Company. First launched in July 2009, the machine features over 165 different Coca-Cola drink products, as well…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola_Freestyle
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Coca-Cola Lime is a soft drink produced by The Coca-Cola Company. It is a version of the original Coca-Cola containing lime flavoring. There also exist non-sugar variations based on Diet Coke or Coca-…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola_Lime
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Coca-Cola Vanilla, originally marketed (and still commonly known) as Vanilla Coke, is a vanilla-flavored version of Coca-Cola, a cola soft drink, produced by The Coca-Cola Company since 2002. A no-cal…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola_Vanilla
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 21: “McDonald's U.S. business... reported same-store sales growth of just 0.8%.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.