What inspires new drink creations at Soda Drop? The answer is simple. It’s our life experiences. We conjure up signature sodas based on regional trends, our customer’s requests and the innovative suggestions from Soda Drop team members. Not necessarily in that order either. In fact, the most recent Holiday Drop of seven Signature Sodas featured three drinks crafted from non-ownership Soda Drop team members. The Grinch was the creation of Ambrielle. Snowball was brought to life via a collaboration between Gabby and Caroline. And Elf Elixir was presented to us by Savannah.
Let the Competition Begin
How did we decide on including the three employee-inspired drinks? A friendly competition of course. This team is passionate about showcasing unique drink flavors. How do we know? Because we received quite a few drink submissions when it came to determining which ones made the cut. Nearly every aspiring flavorologist submitted at least one custom soda recipe, with some submitting as many as three. Wow! We anticipated a few entries but instead ended up with a full-blown competition to create a soda featured in the Holiday Drink Drop.
I’d like to say it was a pleasant surprise, but that would be underselling the feeling. It was downright impressive! So impressive that we changed the initial plan from including one team-member-created drink on the holiday menu to including three. This also explains the ‘seven’ seasonal sodas. Apart from the great alliteration, it was to allow us to showcase two additional team member creations.
The Votes Are In
So how exactly did we decide on the final three? In what is likely a surprise to no one, we did a taste test. No need to reinvent the wheel here. Primarily because inventing the wheel doesn’t have much to do with crafting a soda. Also, because it was the best way to get feedback from the entire Soda Drop team. Thus, each entry was carefully created for a morning crew tasting and an evening crew tasting. Those who didn’t work that day were also invited in to partake in one of the tastings and cast their vote. Each voter had to not only consider the best overall flavored drink but also the most general appeal for our growing fanbase (customers).
After the votes were tallied, we had three unique drinks stand out from the rest. Since they stood out from the rest, they also earned the right to stand out and be featured on the Holiday Drop of signature sodas. These three drinks joined four others to create Soda Drop’s holiday lineup. As a note, the four additional holiday offerings were crafted by the ownership team to balance out flavors and offer seasonal trends.
A Rewarding Experience
Knowing the winning drinks would be served to customers was one of the greatest rewards for the contest entrants. Though, ultimately, a cash prize was also offered. Yes, the winner(s) earned a small cash prize if their drink was selected for the menu. The ownership team thought we needed a cash prize to encourage participation. Turns out, though the cash prize was appreciated, many Soda Drop team members submitted an entry just for the chance to see their creation make the Holiday Drop menu.
As one entrant exclaimed, “The process was stressful to create a drink, but it made me feel good when I came up with something that people liked and voted for to be a drink on the menu.”
We’re so proud of the Soda Drop team and their efforts. Offering the opportunity for employees to assist in drink creation was a goal of the Soda Drop business model. We’re glad to see that goal come to fruition. It also reinforces the thought that inspiration for drinks can come from anywhere. Often the best place to look is from the people you work with every day.