Green Custard plays key role in Britvic’s smart flavour tap

Cloud-native professional services company Green Custard has been commissioned by Britvic plc to develop IoT/dispense software for Britvic’s smart tap operable via touchscreen technology, for a new range of drinks dispensers intended for deployment in large supermarkets, large businesses, and other high footfall locations.

Britvic is looking to reduce its reliability on single-use plastic, refrigeration, transport and manufacturing costs as part of its long-term sustainability strategy.

Using a touchscreen-controlled interface built using AWS mobile, cloud and IoT capabilities, customers place their reusable water vessels under the Aqua Libra flavour tap, select their preferred flavour/preference – fizzy, still etc – and dispense their drink, thus removing the need for a single-use plastic bottle the drink would have usually been sold in.

As well as facilitating greener working practices, the data captured as a result provides Britvic with valuable insight into market trends and popular drinks choices. Britvic can use the analysed data to grow its customer base and retain brand loyalty through targeted marketing campaigns with loyalty schemes and reward cards. The captured information may also be used to support slicker operations through optimised supply chain, maintenance, and stock replenishment processes.

Green Custard, which is based at St John’s Innovation Centre, is an award-winning professional services company and AWS Advanced Tier Services Partner founded in 2009.

“The drinks industry has historically been heavily reliant on single-use plastic and other non-eco-friendly processes,” says Jonathan Custance, co-founder of Green Custard. “With our deep knowledge of AWS IoT services, combined with our expertise in embedded software and mobile app development, we’ve been able to support Britvic in its drive to introduce sustainable working practises by developing IoT products quickly and cost effectively.”

Scott MacKenzie, director of Beyond the Bottle platforms at Britvic, added: “With Aqua Libra, we’re offering a new proposition for customers to reduce their carbon footprint, while providing healthy hydration options for staff and shoppers.

“As Britvic, our decades of experience with liquids and equipment, combined with a priority to develop industry-leading experiences, has led to the creation of the Aqua Libra flavour tap. While developing the ground-breaking product, Green Custard has supported our ability to innovate in-house.”

Green Custard has assumed a lead role in numerous development projects on behalf of Britvic, including the prototyping of an IoT-connected vending machine product from scratch and within a short timeframe for validation purposes.

Further to a successful outcome, this project has now moved to the next phase with Green Custard taking on a lead role once again.

Britvic’s next-generation drinks dispensers “are currently being piloted in and with several leading global businesses”.