RTD nitro cold brew (ready-to-drink) is made by infusing regular cold brew coffee with a dose of liquid nitrogen. When poured or drank, the tiny nitrogen bubbles cascade to give the coffee a smooth, creamy texture.
Cold brew can be stored in a keg for direct draught-style serving through a nitrogen tap in customer-facing businesses. Still, the RTD format offers greater flexibility, convenience and retailing opportunities.
The primary challenge for creating a line of RTD nitro cold brew is access to the proper facilities – commercial-scale brewing, canning, sterilising and pasteurising all have specific technological and manufacturing requirements.
Luckily, a private label RTD nitro cold brew partner can help aspiring businesses overcome these hurdles and create their own unique product lines.
We spoke with Mike Roy, co-founder of Station Cold Brew and operations director at Pure Spirits Inc., to learn more about creating your own line of RTD nitro cold brew with the help of a private label partner.
How to choose the best partner to work with
Creating a line of RTD nitro cold brew is a multi-stage process, from coffee selection to branding and packaging design. Proving the concept is essential to later success – consumer demand and the factors that will determine product appeal must be identified and confirmed.
“We first need to establish a few things. Is there a demand for the products; what flavours and packaging styles work; how can we compete with existing product prices, market share, etc.? What differentiates our brand from the competitor?” Mike advises.
For smaller businesses or those new to the RTD segment, the support of a private label partner with expertise can be invaluable when addressing these questions. Moreover, those committed to scaling alongside you, offering you expanding capacity as your product demands grow, are likely to be as invested in your success as you are.
At Hardtank, for example, we offer low minimum order quantities, fast lead times of just six weeks, and competitive pricing, all designed to help our clients get to market faster and start earning revenue as quickly as possible.
“MOQs, lead times, distribution models, storage, shelf life and upfront costs are common challenges and concerns for private label customers,” explains Mike.
“At Station Cold Brew, we manage these concerns by providing our clients with support with distribution, cold and dry storage, research and development, material procurement, and ingredient/nutritional information decks.
“Essentially, we eliminate potential concerns by providing a turn-key solution – if that is what our partners require.”
As Mike points out, the more comprehensive the support system provided by a private label partner, the better equipped the client is for success in all aspects of the RTD nitro cold brew production and retail processes.
Coffee expertise is also incredibly important. A roaster who prides itself on coffee quality should not have to settle for mediocre private label coffee in order to launch a line of RTD nitro cold brew.
“If a private label partner is processing the coffee or tea from raw ingredients, it is absolutely crucial that they have coffee and tea knowledge, as well as the correct equipment,” says Mike.
How to get the best results for your RTD nitro cold brew
The base of any RTD nitro cold brew is regular cold brew coffee. Traditionally, this is a time-consuming process – it can take up to 24 hours to prepare a batch of cold brew.
Modern technology and equipment have drastically reduced brewing time while simultaneously improving yield and quality. Hardtank commercial cold brew machines can brew a batch in just 45 minutes.
Ensuring that the partner you choose has cutting-edge technology and equipment will improve turnaround times and allow your business greater agility and flexibility in responding to consumer trends, whether replenishing stock, creating limited edition flavours or commissioning event and campaign-specific branding.
As mentioned, coffee quality is crucial. A collaborative and transparent business relationship between manufacturer and client helps ensure coffee quality matches expectations. A private label business with a strong track record in specialty coffee is desirable. It may help your business create further menu variation with single-origin, plant-based, or functional beverage options.
Given the increased complexity of the production process, not all cold brew manufacturers offer nitro coffee. Be sure to confirm your partner can dose your products correctly and then apply the highest safety standards to meet regulatory requirements, which are particularly stringent in the EU.
Most food safety standards prefer pasteurisation, a process essential to our production line at Hardtank. Our facilities carry a BRC certification, which is the safest and most widely recognised food safety standard in the world.
The final step: packaging RTD nitro cold brew
Private-label services are inherently designed to provide a packaging solution that perfectly matches the client’s requirements and aesthetics and guarantees consumer brand recognition.
When developing your RTD nitro cold brew, your private label partner should give you ample opportunity to relay your requirements, choose the correct materials, share artwork and designs and approve results.
At Hardtank, we have sourced the best possible packaging materials for our RTD clients – slim-line, sustainable aluminium cans that guarantee shelf presence – and offer a highly customisable labelling service to match.
Our focus on premium materials and shelf stability – up to 12 months of ambient shelf life – means your cold brew retains its flavour and freshness for extended periods, making it perfect for widespread distribution without complex cold-chain requirements.
Longer shelf life makes your selling process smoother because you can more easily forecast supply and demand and better meet the often highly demanding requirements of large retailers, who place large orders and have minimum shelf-life rules.
With Hardtank RTD nitro cold brew, your stock can be easily transported, safely stored, and ready to replenish fast-moving stock on grocery shelves and convenience store fridge doors.
Build your own line of RTD nitro cold brew with Hardtank
At Hardtank, we’ve worked tirelessly to build a comprehensive private label nitro coffee solution for all kinds of businesses, from boutique specialty coffee roasters to commercial RTD brands.
Our state-of-the-art facility is based on a foundational knowledge of specialty coffee and cutting-edge cold brew technology, which our engineers and designers developed.
When choosing your RTD nitro cold brew partner, you should look for:
- Experience and expertise in high-quality and specialty coffee
- Wide variety of different beverage options to build out your offering
- High-tech equipment and production facilities
- Highest possible safety and regulatory compliance
- Low MOQs and fast turn-around times
- Customisable, high-quality packaging options
To get started with your own line, visit our website or get in touch with us directly.
Follow the link to watch a recording of our recent Cold Brew Masterclass.
RTD nitro cold brew
