Beer Marketer's Insights - BEVNET LIVE: Gabfest Flags 2 Coffee Launches: Chili Pepper's Jolene, Throne Sport Latte Extension

BevNet Live conference today was platform for a coupla key coffee launches, one shouted from the stage and the other quietly materializing in the sampling coolers. Befittingly for frontman of Red Hot Chili Peppers, the noisy splash was Jolene Coffee launched by Chili Peppers' Anthony Kiedis, his best friend Shane Powers in partnership with Live Nation. (Helming effort as managing dir is former Anheuser-Busch/Zx Ventures exec Jackie Atlas, who most recently had a run at Reckitt.) The other launch was latte extension of Throne Sport Coffee, the electrolyte-laden brand launched by Michael Fedele with Patrick Mahomes. Jolene Coffee Rides LiveNation Platform to Start; Hitting Retail in NY Jolene becomes latest RTD to harness power of LiveNation platform with 50,000 concerts/fests at 200+ venues drawing 150 mil visitors, joining array that includes likes of Liquid Death and Owen's Mixers. As with those, LN has taken investor role too. Jolene is out initially with just Cold Brew and Oat Milk Latte entries, priced at 4 cans for $18 on DTC site. Launch in NY is via Gold Coast house, whose operator Mitch Suslak told us Anthony will be working the trade in Brooklyn tomorrow afternoon via stop at Jubilee Market. (Gold Coast, recall, is small house that's demonstrated consistent expertise breaking new brands in influencer nabes like Williamsburg and Lower East Side.) Brand made its public debut at Live Nation's Bottle Rock fest and its 50K+ fans where reception "said to us, we've got something," reported Live Nation's global prexy for media & sponsorship, Russell Wallach.Brand was incepted on sidewalk outside LA haunt preferred by Kiedis and Powers. By Kiedis' account, Powers yelled at him, You wanna start a business? Kiedis' response: No thank you, that sounds horrible. Anything you want, Powers responded. Since they both adore coffee, that was direction they settled on. By their account, it was tortuous process capturing their formula in retorted can version. As for name, "I'm old-timey by nature, and joe is an old-time name for coffee," Anthony said. Besides, given the central role music will play in brand identity, "Jolene seemed a natural choice." (Asked by moderator Jeff Klineman whether he was aware that "Jolene" singer Dolly Parton had just launched a coffee brand, Kiedis seemed shocked. "No!" he yelled, then added, to giggles, "Bless her heart.")From Live Nation's perspective, Jolene filled clear portfolio gap judging by fan feedback via panels and informal comments. That new product "spoke to music and culture" was ideal. "This isn't about celebrity, it's the right product at the right time for fans . . . the perfect brand to have while you're at a show."Throne Sport Coffee's Lattes Offer Lactose-Free Dose of 10 G Protein; Hitting Casey's, QuikTrip We just offered update on packaging/formula tweaks to canned cold-brew Throne Sport Coffee (BBI, Jun 4). But cofounder/CEO Michael Fedele had advised us he was keeping one thing up his sleeve. That turns out to be addition of first latte-style entries, which had soft launch in coolers at BevNet confab. Packed in same 12-oz sleek cans they prominently herald 150 mg caffeine and 10 g of protein, in initial flavor lineup of French Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Mocha Java and Coffee Latte. They're all lactose-free thanks to use of ultrafiltered milk and contain similar electrolyte and BCAA bill as core Cold Brews. At 140 calories, they come in at half the sugar and calories of Starbucks Frappuccino. Michael told us today that subline is rolling out into 4,000+ retail outlets in advance of July 4 holiday weekend, including chainwide moves into Casey's and QuikTrip c-store chains, both key partners of core line.

BEVNET LIVE: Gabfest Flags 2 Coffee Launches: Chili Pepper's Jolene, Throne Sport Latte Extension

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