Queuing for a drink at a bar is becoming something of a distant memory in the COVID era. You may vaguely remember the frustration. Have you caught the barman’s eye? Is he ignoring you? How can the proprietor possibly expect two bar staff to serve two hundred customers on a Friday night? It was painful at times but there is a company with a solution. Meet Innovative Tap Solutions (ITS) and their Self-Pour Technology. Now CCEP Ventures, the investment arm of Coca-Cola European Partners, has acquired a 25% stake in the company and its PourMyBeer offering.
ITS is the leading provider of self-pour beverage systems with over 7,000 taps in service across 270 locations globally. Their self-pour taps come with splash-proof touch payment screens. Installation allows those in the hospitality industry such as restaurants, cafes and stadiums to serve customers faster, reducing operating costs.
The investment from CCEP will see them work with ITS to introduce self-pour dispense technology to CCEP’s customers in Western Europe, beginning with a trial in Spain.
Josh Goodman, Founder & CEO of ITS, commented on the partnership: “We’re excited to take this Self Pour Revolution to the next level with CCEP. Less than 5 years ago, our company was just me and one other person and our focus was just self-pour taprooms dispensing beer, wine and cocktails through our technology. The market has spoken, customers and business owners love the concept, the efficiency and experience. We’re a liquid-agnostic company that wants to grow in the non-alcoholic space. Our partnership with CCEP ensures that we can continue investing in our technology to scale with the increasing demand.”
As part of CCEP’s Action on Packaging strategy, launched in 2017, the partnership also represents a further step forward. CCEP is committed to investing and innovating in refillable and dispensed delivery models to eliminate packaging waste and lower its carbon footprint.
Nik Jhangiani, Chief Financial Officer at CCEP, said: “We are committed to supporting package-free technology and finding new ways to help our customers increase value and provide a better experience to consumers. ITS is an exciting and ambitious business. We are confident we can help them expand successfully into the soft drinks category and grow their presence in Western Europe.”
