Leading non-alcoholic beverages companies in the artificial intelligence theme

Nestle

The warehouse incorporates technologies like advanced sorting systems, predictive data, and robots, which could help the company dispatch products to supermarkets and other customers more efficiently. The warehouse is still in the testing phase, but it is expected to futureproof the business for technological innovations. For example, personalised products are becoming more popular.

Nestle introduced personalised Quality Street boxes in John Lewis stores. Personalisation at scale is incredibly difficult for supply chains, but digital distribution will make this possible.

PepsiCo

PepsiCo is a market leader for AI in FMCG and has a comprehensive AI strategy with different AI initiatives across the consumer goods value chain. PepsiCo subsidiary Fritolay uses context-aware computing in distribution manufacturing, producing multiple patents in this area. Quality control has been automated, providing real-time feedback on chip quality based on the sound they produce when hit by a laser.

Computer vision is also used to predict the weight of potatoes, and machine learning is used to optimise potato peeling percentage. PepsiCo also piloted vending machine robots, called Snackbots, on a university campus.

AI is also used for predictive analytics. AI forecasts inventory management accuracy for two-year-old stock-keeping units (SKUs) in a store or warehouse. The company claims that it could increase prediction accuracy from 67% to 72% using AI. PepsiCo has an analytics platform called Pep Worx that advises retail stocks and locations.

The company also has an in-house AI platform called Ada, which analyses huge volumes of data to support innovation, design, research, and pricing decisions. AI is used for product development, sales, and marketing, analysing social data to predict, which products will be successful.

Different PepsiCo brands have also introduced chatbots, such as Moutain Dew’s chatbot DEWbot, hosted on video streaming platform Twitch. PepsiCo also created a chatbot called Bot-ler, hosted on Facebook, which lets users order drinks from their phones.

Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is a market leader for AI adoption in the consumer goods sector. Global Director of Digital Innovation Greg Chambers stated that “AI is the foundation for everything we do.” Coca-Cola has more than 500 brands in over 200 countries. This generates lots of data, and AI underpins many of its corporate strategies.

Coca-Cola uses AI for product innovation and market research. It created self-service drinks machines where customers could mix their own drinks, then used that data to develop the new Cherry Sprite flavour, as this proved most popular. The company also tracks their social media presence using computer vision to identify its drinks, or those of its competitors, in users’ pictures. Targeted ads are developed based on this data.

The company introduced a pilot of intelligent vending machines in Japan. Customers can download the Coke On app to access a loyalty scheme, collecting points when visiting a vending machine by connecting their phones. Vending machines are also being launched in the US, Australia, and New Zealand, where customers can preorder drinks using their phones.

To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the consumer industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on AI in Consumer Goods.

• Hangzhou Wahaha Group 
• Ito En 
• Lotte Chilsung 
• Primo Water 
• Nongfu Spring 
• JDE Peet's 
• Kirin Holdings 
• Molson Coors 
• Monster Beverage
• Britvic