In the rapidly expanding world of coffee, private label cold brew partnerships offer brands a more convenient, streamlined way to enter the market.
This type of service typically involves a professional cold brew manufacturer producing a private label (or white label) cold brew product for another business, mitigating expensive set-up costs in your equipment and facility.
The benefits are clear for coffee businesses that want to have their own branded cold brew product: safer, cheaper, and easier production, manufacturing, and distribution. They can then save time by leveraging the expertise of specialist manufacturers, using that instead to focus on their operations or customer service.
The right private label cold brew partner will be able to support your business needs, whether that’s with MOQs, lead times, product range, or any number of other characteristics.
We spoke to Arzaq Al-Najjar, founder of Mokha Valley, to learn more about the factors to consider when looking for a private label cold brew partner.
How a private label cold brew partner should support your brand
Private label cold brew is a service where a client sells a cold coffee product produced by a third-party manufacturer but branded and packaged under the client’s name.
Some private label cold brew partners, like Hardtank, also offer a custom formula service. With custom formula services, the client uses their own signature recipe or formula instead of a preset formula provided by the partner.
This arrangement helps coffee or beverage brands avoid the overhead costs and challenges of producing cold brew products themselves, such as facility set-up, equipment investment, and labour expertise.
“By working with experts, they ensure the cold brew tastes great and meets quality standards,” says Arzaq. “It makes it easier to produce more coffee as demand grows and to launch the product more quickly. This way, the company can focus on what they do best, like marketing and selling, while the experts handle the brewing.”
We prioritise safety at Hardtank, and each batch of private label cold brew produced is subject to rigorous testing. A sample from every batch is sent to an independent laboratory for analysis, and the sample is retained for the duration of the batch’s shelf life in case it needs to be referred back to.
Moreover, our low MOQs, fast lead times, favourable payment turnaround times, and slim-line can options are all in place to make the private label process as smooth as possible for our clients.
“Collaboration between the cold brew partner and the brand is essential for creating a product that aligns with the brand’s vision,” Arzaq emphasises.
“The brand should know what’s happening at every step and have a say in important decisions like flavour and packaging. Regular check-ins and feedback help fix any issues quickly and keep things on track – a good partnership is built on trust, respect, and working together toward making a great product.”
Your private label partner should also provide comprehensive advice, especially if you’re new to the market. From helping you understand what’s popular in the cold brew industry to assisting with pricing strategies and packaging decisions, a good partner will act as a guide throughout the entire process.
Quality and food safety: ensuring trust and consistency
Cold brew is a perishable product, and food safety is of paramount importance. Professional equipment and infrastructure are essential to producing not only high-quality but also safe cold brew that consumers can trust.
Navigating complex safety regulations can be overwhelming for smaller brands, but a skilled private label partner can help you clear these hurdles with confidence.
“A private label cold brew partner helps brands handle food safety by making sure they follow all the rules and regulations,” says Arzaq.
“They keep an eye on quality throughout production to ensure the cold brew is always safe and consistent, and their experience with safety standards and regulations helps brands avoid problems and offer a trustworthy product.”
For brands new to cold brew retail, food safety challenges can include everything from ensuring proper equipment sterilisation and health regulations that vary market by market to meeting national and international labelling requirements.
As mentioned, we work with an independent laboratory partner for health and safety screening to mitigate microbiological contamination and ensure samples are retained if needed later. This gives our clients peace of mind that their own high brand standards are matched in production.
Scalability: ready to match your growth
Scaling is vital for any brand’s success in the RTD market, and when choosing a private label partner, they must offer the capacity you expect to need as your brand matures.
Some manufacturers may offer large production capabilities but unreasonable initial minimum order quantities (MOQs) – a common problem for start-up RTD brands hoping to avoid an unpredictable and changing supply chain. On the other hand, boutique manufacturers may be ready to offer lower MOQs but do not own the facilities that will accommodate your demands down the road.
The best partners should offer the flexibility to scale production up or down. At Hardtank, for example, we offer MOQs from just 3,000 units per SKU at low rates to help you get started, and we are ready to scale alongside you as you succeed with our BRC-certified production facility.
Arzaq references flexible production capacity, advanced equipment, and strategic planning as essential variables in ensuring scalability in cold brew production when working with a partner.
“They [should] work with the brand to forecast future needs and plan for growth,” she says. “By understanding the brand’s trajectory, the partner can prepare for scaling up production well in advance.”
Work with a trusted private label cold brew partner
Choosing a private label cold brew partner can appear overwhelming, but at Hardtank, we have streamlined our service to perfect the four crucial elements to success:
- Coffee and cold brew manufacturing expertise
- Collaborative and transparent partnership
- Health and safety regulatory compliance
- Low MOQs and scalability
With twenty years of experience in the specialty coffee industry under our belt, we’ve built Hardtank to help aspiring coffee brands and RTD businesses get to market faster and with greater confidence.
Our clients can start the journey with just 3,000 units, with faster lead times and lower upfront costs through favourable payment terms. To learn more about creating your own line of private label cold brew, visit our website or contact our team.
Did you miss our webinar? Don’t worry; you can watch the video recording here.
Private label cold brew
