Drinks supplied on tap have always been a big part of bars. But now, the dispensing of drinks is back in a big way and in a new hi-tech form, because of a demand for (and legislation on) the banning of plastic and single-use containers.

There are more advantages than just this, though, explains Alessandro Albanese, head of sales at Zerica. “The trend in hospitality is to bring running costs down in a way that doesn’t prejudice the level of service offered to customers. Automatic or self-service equipment for the preparation of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks can be helpful here, as they make it possible to increase revenues without raising running costs.”

The market is seeing the arrival of ever more innovative technologies. Zerica, a well-established manufacturer of water and drinks distribution systems, has this year introduced multi-beverage equipment that can prepare cocktails, juices and other soft drinks, as well as dispensing water from the mains supply, “with a positive impact on costs, the environment and image.” The equipment can also provide support in the training of bar staff, thanks to the interactive screen that is interconnected to 4.0 technology.

What about trends in bars? “Quality of ingredients and minimalism for presentation. No-alcohol or low-alcohol cocktails, to be enjoyed at any hour of the day and in places not normally associated with the activity, for example in take-away and delivery contexts.” As for innovations, Albanese gives the example of equipment that helps with pre-batch preparations “capable of providing a rapid service, ensuring the precision of the recipe and controlling consumption.”

“At the bar, customers are more aware of product quality, in terms both of ingredients and other values being embodied, such as environmental protection. There is also a growing demand for cool drinks full of flavour, and which don’t involve plastic packaging or cans,” says Debora Screpanti, marketing manager for Blupura.

To respond to these market demands, this company offers a dispenser that supplies cold still and sparkling water, as well as three different types of non-alcoholic drinks, making it possible to mix the water with concentrate contained in a bag-in-the-box or in tanks.

“Saving on energy, packaging and transport costs is increasingly important for anyone running a bar. With our products we promote the use of glass containers that can be endlessly reused, reducing the transport cost of bottled drinks to zero (and with it energy costs), while the use of the dispenser means that refrigerators that would normally be needed to keep bottled water chilled can be switched off. Customers in Italy expect a high-quality service, with aspects like the size of the carbon footprint generated by our consumer choices taking on greater and greater importance.”

Blupura has also developed a device that connects all dispensers of any brand remotely, which means the state of the machinery and materials can be checked at a distance, which in turn makes maintenance more efficient.