contact with the push pin 103 and pushes it forward so as to operate the cutter 101 to cut protective foil 41 open the machine and the packaging are then ready to operate and dispense a drink the drive shaft 524 is then operated to drive the pump 6 through coupling means 521 and 650 650 a to dispense a measured amount of liquid from the container 4 through duct 69 simultaneously or subsequently diluent is supplied through coupling means 520 and intake 71 and the air intake closing means 97 98 can be activated if foaming of the drink is not required the diluted drink optionally foamed is dispensed through outlet 85 the push pin 543 may then be actuated to allow venting of the container 4 after operation of the above sequence of activities to dispense a drink the drawer remains in place until the container needs to be removed e g when it is empty then the user can command the disengagement of the drawer from the caps upon which the joint mechanism is returned to its rest position shown in fig1 to retract the drawer 701 the metering and mixing device or the container may also comprise a code that can be read by a reader associated with the base station 5 the code comprises information referring to the identity and or the nature of the product and or to parameters concerned with the activating of the diluent supply and or liquid pump drive means the code may for example be used to manage the flow rate of the liquid pump and or of the diluent pump contained in the base station so as to control the liquid diluent ratio the code may also control the opening or.