Cana One

Cana One, the world's first molecular beverage printer for at-home drinks / Source: Cana

Food & BeverageNorth AmericaPackaging

5 MINUTE READ

Nadine Smith

WHAT WE SAY:

With its roots somewhere in the intersection between Sodastream and molecular gastronomy, the Cana One will soon allow you to ‘print’ a near limitless range of cold drinks in your home at the press of a button.

The countertop device aims to decentralise manufacturing and cut out the packaging and excess water associated with bottled drinks. The science and engineering behind it are seriously impressive, but all that innovation comes with a hefty price tag that could well be the stumbling block that keeps this concept from truly shaking up the beverage industry.

KEY FACTS:

Cana is the company behind the Cana One, the world’s first molecular beverage printer.
By allowing users to ‘print’ drinks at the touch of a button in their own home, into their own reusable vessel, Cana aims to cut out the packaging waste that has become synonymous with flavoured drinks, which are shipped around the world in plastic bottles.
The California-based company claims the Cana One’s technology creates a plastic waste footprint, which is 80% lower than that of the bottled beverage industry.
The device features a carbonation cylinder, a sugar cartridge, a spirits cartridge, a water reservoir and a single ingredients cartridge. Combined, they can make thousands of drinks, including juice, soda, wine, iced coffee and tea, cocktails, energy drinks, and sports drinks.
Ingredient cartridges last around one month and can be returned to Cana in pre-paid packaging after use. Each cartridge is reused 12 times before being recycled by the brand.
The device is in the pre-order phase of deployment, expected to be released to the US market in 2023.

Cana One product touchscreen / Source: Cana

Cana One interior / Source: Cana

DIVE DEEPER:

It is estimated that as many as two trillion drinks containers are made every year. In the US alone, 140 billion containers were wasted in 2019, 74 billion of which were PET.
All this plastic is being used to package beverages, which are approximately 90% water.
With a goal of “eliminating the need for bottling, packaging, shipping and other manufacturing waste,” Cana’s scientists identified and isolated the molecules, which act as the building blocks for the flavour and aroma of bottled drinks, to create a universal ingredient set. The company’s novel microfluid dispensing technology allows for all flavours to be dispensed from a single canister.
Users can simply select a drink from the pre-existing list, however the infinite array of flavours provided by the molecular approach means users can personalise every drink, customising aspects such as alcohol levels, caffeine and sugar. A pin system is in place to prevent younger members of the household from accessing alcoholic drinks.
Cana says its cartridges contain only FDA approved, food-safe and off-the-shelf materials, while water is filtered before it is added to a drink.
The counter-top device measures 5 x 17 x 16 inches and can be controlled with the integrated seven inch touch screen or with a phone.
Operation requires a wifi connection but this allows for low maintenance usage; while connected to wifi, the device periodically self-cleans.
The Cana One can be reserved for USD 99, which is credited towards a purchase. The first 10,000 orders will cost USD 499 after which the price will be USD 799.
A membership, priced at USD 49 per month, is required for the device. It includes unlimited automatic cartridge refills and twelve free bonus drinks each month. An alcohol add-on costs USD39 per spirits cartridge.
Per-drink prices range from USD 0.29 to USD 1.99, which Cana describes as at least 20% lower than traditional grocery store prices.
The company has partnered with Hella Cocktail Co. and Ocearch to introduce branded drinks to its offering and is actively seeking further partners. It has also enlisted creators, such as Simone Giertz to promote custom drinks available on the device. More featured creators will be added monthly.
Cana is incubated within The Production Board, which has provided USD 30 million of funding for the Cana One’s proprietary hardware platform and chemistry system.

"Cana One is designed to give each customer convenience, savings and an experience...while cleaning up the planet. It’s like having a personalised beverage aisle in your kitchen – with zero trash or hassle from plastic, aluminium and glass containers."

Matt Mahar - CEO, Cana

Key Design Considerations:

The cost barrier

Owning the Cana One requires not just a substantial initial investment, but ongoing membership costs and individual beverage purchases. Such expenses - both upfront and ongoing - pose a significant financial barrier, which could hamper consumer uptake of the technology. A product-as-a-service model, which does not require a purchase, could make for a more accessible entry point, not to mention prolonging the potential lifespan of your product via refurbishment and redeployment.

In-store opportunities

The Cana One is marketed as an at-home device, however in-store tech-based solutions, such as Algramo demonstrate an appetite for new consumer experiences outside the home. Stationing this technology in retail and restaurant settings would still decentralise manufacturing, with the added bonus of creating a system change, which takes individually bottled beverages in out-of-home settings out of the equation entirely.

Comparative impacts

Cana claims its solution can provide an 80% reduction in plastic waste, however, at 35 pounds, it is a heavy device, which comes with its own impacts in terms of shipping and materials. In finding plastic-free solutions, it is important that you are not simply shifting the problem elsewhere. LCAs will be vital in understanding where your own impacts lie and how you can mitigate them.

Remember the refills

We will always encourage refillable models over single-use, but without the right packaging, the waste footprint of postal refills can add up. Assess your market in terms of habits, access to waste, and recycling services and pinpoint the most suitable option among reusable, recyclable, dissolvable, or compostable posting materials.

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Cana One

WHAT WE SAY:

With its roots somewhere in the intersection between Sodastream and molecular gastronomy, the Cana One will soon allow you to ‘print’ a near limitless range of cold drinks in your home at the press of a button.

KEY FACTS:

DIVE DEEPER:

It is estimated that as many as two trillion drinks containers are made every year. In the US alone, 140 billion containers were wasted in 2019, 74 billion of which were PET.

All this plastic is being used to package beverages, which are approximately 90% water.

Cana says its cartridges contain only FDA approved, food-safe and off-the-shelf materials, while water is filtered before it is added to a drink.

The counter-top device measures 5 x 17 x 16 inches and can be controlled with the integrated seven inch touch screen or with a phone.

Operation requires a wifi connection but this allows for low maintenance usage; while connected to wifi, the device periodically self-cleans.

The Cana One can be reserved for USD 99, which is credited towards a purchase. The first 10,000 orders will cost USD 499 after which the price will be USD 799.

A membership, priced at USD 49 per month, is required for the device. It includes unlimited automatic cartridge refills and twelve free bonus drinks each month. An alcohol add-on costs USD39 per spirits cartridge.

Per-drink prices range from USD 0.29 to USD 1.99, which Cana describes as at least 20% lower than traditional grocery store prices.

The company has partnered with Hella Cocktail Co. and Ocearch to introduce branded drinks to its offering and is actively seeking further partners. It has also enlisted creators, such as Simone Giertz to promote custom drinks available on the device. More featured creators will be added monthly.