Episode Description
Dirty soda is no longer just a viral drink trend. Custom beverages, cold foam, popping boba, layered flavors, and social-ready drink experiences are becoming a bigger part of how restaurants drive traffic, premium pricing, and repeat visits.
Scott Finlow, Chief Marketing Officer, PepsiCo Away from Home, and Alison Dempsey Senior Director of Innovation at PepsiCo join Hospitality Hangout to break down DRIPS by Pepsi, PepsiCo’s crafted beverage platform built to help restaurant operators create more personalized drink experiences.
The conversation explores why Gen Z consumers are gravitating toward customizable drinks, how foodservice trends move from social media and restaurant menus into larger consumer behavior, and why beverage innovation has become more than a side category for operators.
Scott and Alison share how PepsiCo developed DRIPS by Pepsi around flavor, texture, color, customization, and “little luxury” moments. They also go inside the operational side of the platform, including recipe development, team training, point-of-sale integration, menu strategy, marketing support, and the challenge of making a highly crafted drink experience consistent at scale.
From the launch of DRIPS at Saucy! by KFC to its expansion through Regal cinemas, this episode looks at how restaurants can use premium beverages to create a stronger guest experience, stand out on social media, and build a more meaningful beverage business.
Episode Credits:
- Produced by: Branded Hospitality Media
- Hosted by: Michael Schatzberg, Jimmy Frischling
- Producer: Julie Zucker
- Creative Director: Adam Levine
- Show Runner: Drewe Raimi
- Post Production: Three Cheers Creative
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.