The choices are … water, however you like itThe choices are … water, however you like it

In this country there is no such thing as too much choice. As any C-store cooler proves — whether purified, fortified, sparkling, naturally flavored, electrolyte enhanced or alkaline adjusted — water is but one example.

It is an increasingly popular amenity in the workplace and at restaurants, where the question of “still or sparkling?” has become a commonplace option. And it doesn’t hurt when physicians tell us it’s great for our health.

Looking to capitalize on consumers' cravings for varieties of nature’s simplest beverage, Hoshizaki America has created the MODwater dispenser. The small footprint device dispenses chilled, hot, carbonated and alkaline water — all from the same fountain.

Water leads the way

According to Trey Hoffman, product manager for the Peachtree City, Ga., manufacturer, as the company tracked healthful beverage trends for years, it witnessed repeatedly how water, in some variation, often led the way. As other dispenser manufacturers sought a share of this surging segment, Hoshizaki took its cue to join in.

“Watching that happen led us to conclude that this was a growing market opportunity,” Hoffman says. “But the game really changed when office managers started noticing this technology becoming small enough and attractive enough for office use. Now the majority of high-end water dispenser sales are going into B&I [business and industry].”

Making a splash with water

Pursuing its own place in the segment, Hoshizaki created the MODwater dispenser (officially the DWM-20A) as multifunctional yet compact. To dispense chilled, carbonated, heated and alkaline water (water with a pH of 8 or higher) from the same unit took miniaturizing some components and eliminating others.

Carbonated water created the largest challenge since the industry standard is a space-consuming carbonator tank and pump that blends tanked CO2 with water. The box-shaped mechanism is commonly stored in a cabinet below the dispenser.

“Those large boxes take up space, which has kept them from becoming more popular in offices,” Hoffman says.

Hoshizaki’s solution was to create a much smaller in-line carbonator that utilizes a pair of chambers to blend CO2 and water, eliminating the bulky tank and pump. The space savings gain yielded a unit footprint that’s 15 inches wide, 23 inches deep and 17 inches high.

In tests with its own employees, Hoshizaki noticed their water consumption patterns favored cold carbonated water. That led the company to develop a machine with the capacity to chill 20 gallons of water per hour to 35 F, carbonated or still.

To create alkaline water, water flows through a cartridge packed with minerals that raise the pH. Fans of alkaline water claim multiple health benefits, such as reduced acidity, increased antioxidants and immune system support, among others. But scientists have yet to conclude whether such claims are true. As Hoffman says, “There are lots of alkaline waters on the market, and people believe it’s good for them to drink them. So if it gets them to drink more water, that’s great.”

Hot water is heated within the unit and made available for items like tea and ramen.

Good for the environment, good for the bottom line

Among the many benefits of mechanical water dispensers, Hoffman highlights their inherent sustainability. By filling reusable cups and bowls, single-use plastic bottled water bottles and 5-gallon water cooler dispensers are eliminated. Over time, he says savings made by not buying bottled water will add up to recoup the cost of the machine.

“When you have a machine that improves the quality of life in your office with multiple water options, and which also helps the environment, it’s hard for someone not to see it as an attractive option,” he says. Noting that MODwater garnered a Kitchen Innovation award at the 2019 National Restaurant Show, he adds, “Together, that’s a rare combination.”

Following the DWM-20A’s late July release to the market, Hoffman says large units made for restaurant service can be expected. Such units will have greater fountain clearance to allow filling of 1 liter table carafes and greater carbonation capability. However, given that restaurants’ coffee-making equipment already produce hot water, that option will be removed.

New opportunities

“We want to be able to fill a 1 liter container with cold, carbonated water in six to eight seconds,” Hoffman says, “so that capability is still in development.”

Hoffman says similar water carbonation equipment was imported several years ago from Europe to the U.S. to serve that purpose in restaurants, yet it didn’t catch on then.

“We use lots of ice in our beverages in America, and much of our carbonation comes from sodas, so the need wasn’t there,” he says.

Since then Americans’ beverage preferences have shifted toward carbonated water consumed cold from the tap, highlighting a new opportunity in the space.

“A lot has changed since then, which is good,” Hoffman says. “We believe MODwater can make an impact in that space.”