Beverage cartridge

A beverage dispensing system, comprising:

• a beverage cartridge, including:
• a housing, and located within the housing, a container configured for accommodating a beverage-related fluid substance and a driven element;
• a drive port configured to deliver a driving torque to the driven element;
• and
• a fluid outlet port via which the fluid substance may be expelled from the cartridge;
• wherein the fluid outlet port and the drive port are located on the same side of the housing;
• a dispenser comprising a dispensing assembly having a mixer;
• a drive coupling for transmitting torque from the dispensing assembly to the beverage cartridge for driving the driven element;
• and
• a fluid coupling for conveying fluid substance from the container of the beverage cartridge to the dispensing assembly,
• wherein the drive coupling comprises a dispenser drive connection part and a cartridge drive connection part, associated with the drive port, and the fluid coupling comprises a dispenser fluid connection part and a cartridge fluid connection part, associated with the fluid outlet port,
• wherein a junction between each said dispenser drive and fluid connection parts and each said cartridge drive and fluid connection parts is outside the housing of the beverage cartridge, and
• wherein the dispensing assembly comprises a loading channel into which the beverage cartridge is pushed to establish said drive and fluid couplings.