16 Surprising Coffee and Tea Drinks From the 2018 NACS Show®
By Steve Holtz on Oct. 18, 2018LAS VEGAS -- The specter of consumers moving not only from fresh-brewed coffee but also from other beverage segments—carbonated soft drinks key among them—into ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee and tea beverages drove some surprising product introductions during the 2018 NACS Show in Las Vegas.
Several traditional fresh-brewed coffee and tea companies debuted packaged beverages on the show floor, while more traditional packaged-beverage companies spread their wings in unexpected ways.
Here’s a look at 16 RTD coffee and tea product CSP PackBev spotted on the show floor ...
Photograph: Shutterstock
1. Java House
Coffee brewer Java House featured its new ready-to-drink Cold Brew Frappes, available in 10-ounce bottles in three flavors: Coffee, Mocha and Vanilla.
Photographs by CSP Staff, unless otherwise noted
2. Coca-Cola Co.
Coca-Cola Co. debuted its Dunkin’ Donuts Shot in the Dark espresso drinks, which joins its popular Dunkin' and McCafe packaged coffee lines. It also featured its Far Coast cold-brew coffee brand, the first cold-brew coffee in the company’s portfolio. The brand will launch in January 2019 in three varieties—Single Source Ethiopian, Signature Blend Latin America and Cafe con Leche—in resealable aluminum bottles.
3. Kerry
Dispensed-beverage company Kerry Convenience is entering the ready-to-drink beverage category with its release of Oregon Chai Tea Lattes. The drinks will launch in two flavors—Original and Spiced—with the proposition of being consumed hot or cold. They are available in 11-ounce bottle singles and four-packs.
4. Starbucks
Starbucks' new Tripleshot Energy drinks are a mashup of RTD coffee and energy. With 225 milligrams of caffeine, the 16-ounce canned drinks will come from PepsiCo in French Vanilla, Caramel and Caffe Mocha flavors.
5. Red Diamond
Traditionally a dispensed-beverage manufacturer, Red Diamond featured its first packaged coffee drinks during the NACS Show. Its Fitz Cold Brew Coffees are available in three flavors: Black, Slightly Sweet and Dark Chocolate. The drinks are packaged in 12-ounce plastic bottles.
6. Nescafe
The Nescafe brand is bringing its coffee know-how to the ready-to-drink category. Its Cold Whipped Latte drinks will roll out in Coffee and French Vanilla flavors. And its Coffee Protein Smoothies will launch in Mocha and Banana. Both lines will hit store shelves in December.
7. Peet’s
Coffee company Peet’s will launch its ready-to-drink True Iced Espresso drinks in early 2019. The drinks are available in 8-ounce cans in four flavors: Black and White, Caramel Macchiato, Vanilla Latte and Mocha.
Photograph courtesy of Peet’s
8. Bang Energy
Bang Energy from VPX Sports entered the ready-to-drink coffee category with the launch of three new flavors of its Keto-Coffee: Heavenly Hazelnut, Cookies and Cream Craze and Mocha Madness. In addition to helping burn calories, the three drinks are made with 20 grams of protein, according to the company.
Photograph courtesy of VPX Sports
9. Danone North America
Danone North America added to its RTD line of cold-brew coffee with a new enhanced drink. Stok Protein cold Brew Coffee is a mocha-flavored coffee drink that contains 20 grams of protein. It is packaged in a 15-ounce can and contains 210 calories.
10. Royal Cup
Coffee maker Royal Cup offered samples of its first line of RTD cold-brew coffee in two flavors: Rain Forest Bold ad French Roast.
11. Forto
Forto, originally launched two years ago as a coffee-based energy shot, showed its new Energy Coffee, an 11-ounce version of the shot containing 200 milligrams of caffeine. The drinks will launch in February in two flavors: Coffee Latte and Chocolate Latte.
12. Biggby Coffee
Cafe company Biggby Coffee debuted two new packaged Iced Coffees, available in Mocha and Vanilla.
13. High Brew
High Brew Cold Brew Coffee, available through Keurig Dr Pepper, has updated its packaging to a modern look intended to draw attention on store shelves. The drinks are available in Espresso, Vanilla, Black and Chocolate + Protein.
14. La Colombe
La Colombe Coffee is taking a cue from the mixed-drink world with its newest launches. The slightly sweet Cold Brew Shandy line is available in two flavors: Lemonade and Grapefruit.
15. Tiesta Tea
Tiesta Tea is a traditionally loose-leaf tea company trying its hand at a packaged beverage. The company’s Cold Brew line is launching in five flavors: Black Thai Tropical, Maui Mango, Lavender Chamomile, Lean Green Machine and Blueberry Wild Child.
16. Private-label brands
Several typically private-label beverage makers displayed consumer-facing brands during the NACS Show. These included Berner Food and Beverages’ Dakota Iced Lattes, Classic Cafe’s Cold Brew in Sweet Cream and Mocha and Horseshoe Beverage Co.’s Brown Bomber Coffee Brown Ale, Cold Brew and Iced Latte (pictured above).