Dive Brief:
- White Coffee is teaming with Jim Beam to present a line of non-alcoholic coffees, according to Grocery Headquarters.
- The Jim Beam Coffee varieties include Original, Bourbon Vanilla, Cinnamon Stick, Spiced Honey, and Signature Dark Roast.
- The Jim Beam line of coffees will be available at retail outlets nationwide this spring.
Dive Insight:
There was a time when coffee came two ways — black or with cream. But today coffee drinkers sometimes enjoy a splash of bourbon in their drink and this new partnership between White Coffee and Jim Beam is simply cutting out the middleman in providing the same flavor. Adults like mixing alcohol and coffee as seen by other wine-infused and spirit-infused coffees already making on the market. It's unlikely these combinations will be the last.
The National Coffee Association of America reported 48% of U.S. coffee is perceived by the consumer to be specialty so there’s a strong market for the beverage if it offers more than the typical flavors. Meanwhile, 35% of 18 to 24-year-olds said they drink specialty coffee daily. Overall, Americans consume an estimated 400 million cups of coffee a day, and odds are some of those cups contain more than just added cream and sugar. It makes sense for companies to try and capitalize on this, a move that could work if the taste is right.
Jim Beam already has found success working with Vita Foods on a number of non-alcoholic products, such as barbecue sauce, hot sauce, pancake syrup and glazes. It is likely leveraging its experience with these other products to further expand Jim Beam into other areas. Entering the coffee space just seems the next step in the drink's broader ambitions.