Actually, I’m wondering how this straw differs from the Flav-R-Straws I had when I was a kid, back in the late 50′s. All of the advantages over syrup are irrelevant, since flavored straws are nearly as old as I am. They dispensed milk which was vaguely chocolate-like or strawberry-like, if you kind of pretended, with a strong chemical aftertaste, using a flavor-impregnated solid card within the straw.

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flav-R-Straws