Keurig Kold Enters Soda Business to Compete Against SodaStream

— -- Watch out SodaStream, there's a new soda maker in town.

Keurig Green Mountain hopes households and offices across the country that use the popular coffee K-cups will buy into its homemade soda business.

With a suggested price of $369, the Keurig Kold system boasts of the convenience of homemade soda with brands like Coca-Cola and Dr. Pepper Snapple Group.

A spokeswoman for Keurig said the company expects retailers to sell the machine as low as $299 after promotions. That doesn't include the soda flavoring. Four-count pods, for instance, will retail from $4.49 to $4.99.

Keurig is counting on the brand recognition to make from home from what it calls "exclusive beverage brands" Coca-Cola and Dr. Pepper soda from their kitchen. The system provides eight-ounce beverage sizes that have 100 calories or less.

In comparison, SodaStream systems, which offer Pepsi soda, Skinnygirl flavors and its own SodaStream Fountain Style line, start at around $70 and can top $200. These $5.99 mixes, which aren't single serving pods like those of Keurig, come in 14.8 fluid ounce bottles that make 29 servings, or seven liters of drinks.

Another difference is that the Keurig system offers "rapid chilling that turns room temperature water to a perfectly chilled drink at the push of a button," Brian Kelley, President and CEO of Keurig said in a statement.

Customers can order the Kold system today and it will be available later at select retailers in six cities in October: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and New York.

Asked whether the pods are recyclable, a Keurig spokeswoman said the Kold pods may be accepted for recycling in select communities that accept items labeled “#7-OTHER.”

Consumers should remove the foil seal, which you’ll need to remove to make a beverage, and for sparkling beverage pods, the Karbonator beads and paper filter should be removed before recycling, she said.