It’s something that I didn’t notice straight away, and probably because I don’t use them. But there are some new vending machines at UBC. For the past 12 years the only vending machines on the UBC Campus have been owned by Coca-Cola. And now that their contract is up, a number of Pepsi vending machines have arrived.

The deal with Coca-Cola, inked in 1995, was the first of its kind in Canada, and guaranteed $8.5 million to the university over 10 years in exchange for exclusivity. In 2005, the exclusive contract was extended another two years, until August 2007.

The extension came with no additional funding after UBC students failed to live up to a clause guaranteeing the sale of 33.6 million cans or bottles over the first 10 years — a projection based on similar deals on U.S. campuses. By 2005, UBC students had consumed just over 17 million bottles — nearly six-million litres of Coke products.

Coca-Cola halted its funding, including $160,000 per year paid directly to the students’ Alma Mater Society.

Read the full article at Canada.com