Coca-Cola United, Nation's Third Biggest Bottler, to Convert Vending Machines to Cashless Credit Card Payments
Purchase, NY, April 9, 2007-MasterCard Worldwide and USA Technologies (NASDAQ: USAT) announced today that Coca-Cola Bottling Company United Inc., the third largest bottler in America, is installing cashless payment technology in vending machines.
The two companies reported that Coca-Cola United has begun equipping its vending machines with USA Technologies' e-Port® G6 to accept MasterCard® PayPass? contactless payments as well as traditional magnetic stripe credit card payments.
"Our mission at Coca-Cola United is to provide customers with top quality products in the most convenient way," said Thacher Worthen, Vice President of Marketing. "We are excited about the benefits that credit card payment options will bring to our customers. The United States is rapidly becoming a 'plastic nation' with fast food restaurants and convenience stores accepting credit and debit cards, and we feel the time is right to begin providing these same payment options to our customers. USA Technologies' e-Port and MasterCard PayPass offer our customers a solution that delivers a much faster, easier and more convenient purchasing experience."
Based in Birmingham, Alabama, Coca-Cola United dispenses all brands of Coca-Cola, as well as Sprite, Barq's root beer, Fanta, and Dasani water.
The cashless vending machines will be deployed by Coca-Cola United in multiple markets in the Coca-Cola Company's home market, reaching consumers from Atlanta, Georgia, to Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
"More and more consumers are telling us they want to use payment cards for small purchases from vending machines, and together with USA Technologies and Coca-Cola United, MasterCard is responding to this demand," said T.J. Sharkey, Group Head, National Accounts, U.S. Commerce Development, MasterCard Worldwide. "MasterCard PayPass provides greater speed and convenience for consumers making purchases from vending machines, while helping vending operators improve efficiencies and drive increased revenues."
The installations are part of a nationwide deployment of cashless vending machines and point-of-sale terminals by MasterCard and USA Technologies, and represents the largest rollout of contactless technology in these markets.
"We are excited to be working with global brands with the stature of MasterCard and Coca-Cola in deploying the latest in wireless cashless technology to give consumers new levels of speed and convenience when making purchasing from vending machines," said Stephen P. Herbert, President and COO, USA Technologies. "Together we are driving greater customer satisfaction, while offering vending machine operators more opportunity to improve their operational efficiency, and generate new and increased sales and revenue streams."
To make a cashless transaction at PayPass-enabled, e-Port activated vending machines, consumers need only tap their MasterCard PayPass-enabled credit card or device on the e-Port terminal. The terminal flashes a light and produces a tone to signal the completion of the transaction in seconds. No signature is required.
MasterCard PayPass uses radio frequency technology to transmit payment details between the PayPass device and the merchant's terminal. The transaction is processed through the MasterCard network for clearing and settlement.
MasterCard PayPass cards also include magnetic stripe technology for traditional swipe card payments. PayPass is also available as non-card devices, such as a convenient payment tag that fits on a key chain for easy access.
MasterCard PayPass uses radio frequency technology to transmit payment details wirelessly between the PayPass device and the merchant's terminal. The transaction is then processed through the MasterCard network for clearing and settlement. PayPass cards include magnetic stripe technology, so the cards can also be used in the traditional manner anywhere MasterCard is accepted around the world. PayPass technology can also be used in a number of non-card devices, such as a convenient payment tag that fits on a key chain for easy access.
MasterCard PayPass is ideal for traditional cash-heavy environments where speed is essential, and has led the way in bringing contactless technology to consumer categories such as quick serve restaurants, drug stores, gas stations, vending machines, convenience stores, sports arenas, movie theaters, transit systems and parking garages. There are nearly 13 million PayPass cards and devices issued globally, and PayPass is currently accepted globally at 46,000 merchant locations, including participating 7-Eleven, CVS, McDonald's, Regal Entertainment Group theaters and many others. PayPass is also accepted at numerous football and baseball stadiums. For more information about MasterCard PayPass and a full list of participating merchants, visit www.mastercard.com/PayPass.
MasterCard Worldwide advances global commerce by providing a critical economic link between financial institutions, businesses, cardholders and merchants worldwide. As a franchisor, processor and advisor, MasterCard develops and markets payment solutions, processes close to 14 billion payments each year, and provides industry-leading analysis and consulting services to financial institution customers and merchants. Through its family of brands, including MasterCard®, Maestro® and Cirrus®, MasterCard Worldwide serves consumers and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. For more information go to www.mastercardworldwide.com.
Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc., with headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama, is committed to providing the highest quality standards in the production, marketing, and distribution of soft drinks under exclusive franchises from The Coca-Cola Company and other major soft drink manufacturers in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee. Since 1902, the company has grown to approximately 3000 associates operating 19 sales centers and four production facilities. The Company believes it is the third-largest bottler of Coca-Cola products in the United States, and is the largest privately owned bottler in the nation, based on volume. In 2002, Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Inc. was recognized by Beverage World as the "2002 Bottler of the Year."
With the exception of the historical information contained in this release, the matters described herein contain forward-looking statements that involve risk and uncertainties that may individually or mutually impact the matters herein described, including but not limited to product acceptance, the ability to continually obtained increased orders of its products, the ability to meet installation goals, economic, competitive, governmental impacts, whether its pending patents will be granted or defendable; validity of intellectual property and patents of USA, the ability of USA to license its patents, the ability of USA to commercialize its developmental products, technological and/or other factors, which could cause actual results or revenues to differ materially from those contemplated by these statements.