AmBev and Whirlpool to develop beer capsule machine

All the things you can squeeze out of a capsule: coffee, soft drinks … so why not beer? On 4 March 2015 Brazil’s regulator approved a joint venture between the country’s top brewer AmBev and Whirlpool Corp., one of the world’s leading manufacturers of household appliances.

The venture will develop and produce a machine that will dispense beer and a variety of soft-drinks from capsules. By my guess, it will be the ultimate toy for big boys.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. This much is known: AmBev and Whirlpool will each have 50 percent ownership stakes in the new company, which will launch the appliance in Central America, except Mexico, the Caribbean and South America. Brazil is the second-largest market for Whirlpool Corp. after the United States.

Capsule gadgets seem to be all the rage in R&D departments these days. Last year the Coca-Cola Company announced a partnership with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, maker of the Keurig single-serving coffee machine, to produce Coca-Cola products in single-serving plastic pods, also known as K-cups, for use with Green Mountain’s forthcoming Keurig Cold at-home beverage system.

As part of the deal, the Coca-Cola Company paid USD 1.25 billion for a 10 percent stake, and will help market the new product, which is set for launch between April and September.