Ensuring Consistent, High-quality Beverages through a Quality Water Filtration Solution

SITUATION:	An American fast-food restaurant chain with more than 3,500 locations is known for its extensive drink menu, including soft drinks, slushes and milkshakes. Therefore, the quality of the water used to create these beverages is critical to the restaurant’s operational success and brand consistency.
EXECUTION:	The chain already partnered with Antunes on toasting solutions, which led to conversations around other equipment that could benefit their operations. Antunes approached chain management about a water filtration system as part of an effort to bring greater beverage consistency through improved ingredient water in their stores. Antunes offered to have water filtration systems installed in stores with the most challenging water quality issues so that operators could see the impact that the system has on beverage ingredient water firsthand. A unit was also installed at the chain’s corporate test kitchen.
RESULT:	Today, the chain uses Antunes’ VZN water filtration system, which works specifically with beverage equipment to provide consistent, high-quality ingredient water. The most widely used system is the VZN-421H-T5. Higher volume locations may employ the VZN-441H-T5, which has a max flow rate of 15 gpm, compared to the VZN-421H-T5’s 8 gpm. Both of these systems feature a .015 micron ultrafilter, which removes particles 33 times finer than .5 micron filtration. A self-cleaning mechanism ensures consistent water pressure and low maintenance costs. The separation of mechanical filtration from taste and odor reduction ensures only one low-cost carbon cartridge replacement per year. Additionally, a TAC (Template Assisted Crystallization) cartridge reduces lime scale by 96-98 percent without using chemicals or wasting water — preventing maintenance issues from scale buildup on in-line beverage equipment. The VZN systems used in the chain’s locations address an entire range of water quality issues: scale concerns, substandard odor or taste, and particulate matter. The lower cost of ownership and dramatically reduced cost of maintenance also assists operators in providing the highest quality water at a cost-effective investment.
ABOUT:	Antunes is a leading custom foodservice equipment manufacturer, specializing in countertop cooking and water filtration solutions for global operations. Headquartered in Carol Stream, Illinois, Antunes is driven by a commitment to provide reliable performance, customer-focused service and premium quality.