World’s first molecular ‘beverage printer’ can produce ‘infinite amount of drinks’

Cana Technology has been working on the prototype of its “molecular beverage printer” for four years. With US$30 million in funding secured, a machine capable of printing “an infinite number of beverages” could revolutionise the beverage industry.

Cana Technology has secured $30 million in funding from venture fund The Production Board to bring its molecular beverage printer to the market, Vinepair reports.

The printer works on the basis that nearly every drink is mostly water, and thus by using cartridges filled with flavour compounds that are dispersed into the water using “novel microfluidic liquid dispense technology,”  creator Dave Friedberg says consumers would be able to “make a nearly infinite amount of drinks.”

“We know we can print an infinite number of beverages from a few core flavor compounds. We know we can do this across many existing beverage categories — juice, soda, hard seltzer, cocktails, wine, tea, coffee, and beer,” Friedberg said in an interview with The Spoon.

“Consumer taste testing panels score our printed beverages at the same or better taste levels as commercially available alternatives. Our hardware designs will print beverages quickly and accurately. Our pricing and the footprint of our hardware can yield significant savings and advantages for most households.”

The Production Board’s president and chief operating officer Bharat Vasan was effusive in his praise of the technology, which he described as “the Netflix of beverage experiences.”

On its website, Cana places heavy emphasis on reducing the environmental impact of shipping beverages around the world.

“At Cana, we’re building the world’s first molecular beverage printer to bring the beverage aisle to your countertop. And no, this isn’t another pod machine. Any beverage, any time, greater convenience, and most importantly, dramatically less environmental impact.”

So will the machine revolutionise the way we drink? Only time will tell, but the price of the printer, set to be announced in February, may well indicate whether this is a viable solution for the wider population.

H/T: Vinepair