Coca-Cola Plus Coffee: Coke Enters the Coffee Space
In 2016, Coca-Cola announced that it will be entering the Ready-to-Drink (RTD) coffee market in the first quarter of 2017. Their tea brand, Gold Peak Tea, entered bottled coffee + tea options into an already-burgeoning coffee market in 2017. Geoff Henry, Vice President Tea & Coffee for Coca-Cola announced, “we are excited to introduce new ways for people to enjoy the brand. Our new [drinks] feature our signature high quality ingredients and distinct taste for a delicious pick-me-up anytime of the day.”
Research and Markets valued North America’s RTD at $2.06 billion in 2015 and expects a $300 million increase by 2020. How has Coca-Cola done in establishing their share of the market? Quite well, considering they’ve had volume, distribution, unmatched capital, and market savviness on their side. Some believe this is merely a tool through which to flaunt the company’s riches, rather than a long-term investment.
Coca-Cola’s success is not expected to be short-lived, but how will their reincarnated drink, Coca-Cola Plus Coffee, fair in the US market?
Why Coca-Cola Entered the Coffee Space
Coca-Cola epitomizes Americana; it is the beacon of hope for some, it is the treat after a long day for others. As health awareness rises, there is a notable decline in U.S. soft drink consumption; the U.S. saw (by volume) a 1.2% decline in 2015, compared to 0.9% the year prior. However, America’s beloved soft drink giant is by no means approaching dangerous territories of shrinkage. As the third wave of coffee stays strong and the RTD market continues to grow, Coca-Cola has intelligently claimed their share of the coffee space.
RTDs and Third Wave Specialty Coffee
RTDs are a gateway to third wave coffee culture, but they lack so many facets. Producers of RTDs struggle to satisfy regional tastes and preferences, and Coca-Cola is no different. Offering a variety of flavors is a start, but there is still no comparison to specialty coffee. It is grand to have flavored, iced coffee drinks ready in grab-and-go fashion. As for you third wave coffee shops + connoisseurs, do not fear! For nothing can compete with freshly roasted beans, precisely brewed, and served to perfection.
Coca-Cola Plus Coffee
Do you remember Coca-Cola Blāk? If not, you truly shouldn’t feel remorse. Within a year of its release, Coca-Cola decided to pull their coffee-flavored soft drink. Blāk was released in August of 2006 and off all shelves by 2008. (Note: Coca-Cola Blāk is not to be confused with the coffee dispenser machines in Mexico of the same name. The latter were released by the largest Coca-Cola bottler in Latin America in 2010.)
Coca-Cola is at the coffee + soft drink venture again with Coca-Cola Plus Coffee. The drink is available in Australia and Japan as of September 2017; the release date in the U.S. is currently unknown. Canned coffee drinks, such as Coca-Cola Plus Coffee, are no new phenomenon to Japan, but Australia is a different story.
The goal of Coca-Cola Plus Coffee in Australia was to provide a refreshing new way to consume the second most consumed beverage in the country. Unlike in Japan, the second biggest development struggle, only to perfecting the taste, was to make the drink sugar-free (an important marketing factor in Australia).
Coca-Cola Plus Coffee features the classic taste of Coke paired with Brazilian coffee and featuring caramel undertones. The drink has 14 g of caffeine for every 100 mL – about 1/3 of that in a standard cappuccino. As with most anything, the responses to Coca-Cola Plus Zero span a spectrum, though there has been an overwhelmingly negative response to the product. We encourage you to peruse the web for reviews, if you feel so inclined. If you can get your hands on one yourself, even better! Let us know what you think.
No matter what their latest venture, Coca-Cola has a stronghold in the coffee space and they will not be budging any time soon.
If you’ve tried Coca Cola Plus Coffee, let us know at hello@beangenius.com
If you want to try making your own Coca-Cola Plus Coffee, follow these folks
If you need some coffee for the recipe above or merely for your daily existence, buy some here