In this article, you’ll learn:
- The benefits of using equipment alongside private label RTDs
- How you can combine these methods to scale your business
- How you can attract customers across numerous touchpoints
Cold brew coffee is more popular than ever, especially with younger consumers – but this means it’s increasingly difficult to stand out. For coffee shops and drinks brands selling the drink, traditional manufacturing methods are no longer good enough. Your cold brew system needs to be much more robust, especially if you’re targeting more than one consumer touchpoint.
If you’re preparing fresh cold brew at your coffee shop, investing in dedicated brewing equipment can be a significant advantage. Similarly, offering ready-to-drink (RTD) cold brew alongside fresh services helps you to diversify your revenue streams.
But how can coffee businesses combine these strategies for maximum impact? To find out, I spoke to Ben Ferrão. He is the co-founder of Cold Brew Coffee Co., a private label manufacturer based in London, England. Read on for his insight.
What are the benefits of a fresh cold brew system?
A cold brew system that efficiently prepares fresh batches of cold brew can be incredibly useful for coffee shops, bars, and other foodservice businesses. It removes the long steeping constraints associated with manual cold brew preparation to significantly increase your daily production.
Systems like the Baby Hardtank are one example of these new developments. Using patented recirculation technology to constantly agitate coffee grounds in the filter basket, it can prepare a batch of high-quality cold brew in under an hour. Normally, cold brew takes up to 24 hours to prepare, so it represents a significant time saving.
The advantages of a fresh cold brew system extend beyond speed, however. Manual cold brew production is imprecise and can be difficult to control or adjust. Normally, it involves large containers filled with litres of water and coffee grounds, with manual mixing during steeping for even extraction. However, this is difficult to standardise across batches, especially if different staff members are managing cold brew production every day.
That’s why a cold brew system with repeatable, controllable brewing profiles is so beneficial. They allow you to save recipes so all of your staff can prepare cold brew that tastes the same as the last batch. Similarly, this functionality allows you to switch between drinks other than cold brew – such as iced tea or cascara – with a button press rather than significant manual labour.
However, the cold brew system you choose will vary based on your daily yield, size, and customer base. For instance, smaller coffee shops or bars are more suited to equipment like the Baby Hardtank, which fits on countertops and has a transparent filter basket for customers to look at. On the other hand, large-scale wholesalers or chains can benefit from equipment like the Hardtank 20, which can prepare up to 250 litres of cold brew a day.
Therefore, a cold brew system designed to quickly and efficiently prepare fresh cold brew can be hugely beneficial for coffee shops.
What are the advantages of private label cold brew manufacturing?
While an in-house cold brew system allows you to prepare cold brew every day, many coffee businesses also look to private label cold brew manufacturing. This is where you outsource production of RTD cold brew to a third party, which produces branded drinks to your specification.
Adding RTDs to your cold brew system allows you to sell your coffee in other consumer touchpoints, including grocery stores, e-commerce, or in fridges at your existing locations. This diversity helps you tap into consumers who may not want to wait for their drink to be made.
“Outsourcing cold brew RTD production to expert manufacturers ensures you maintain consistency in quality of product at a decent scale. This is especially important for multi-site operations,” Ben tells me. Once you determine your drink formulation, you can repeat that recipe easily without any fluctuation in quality. This is essential for building a reputation for consistency and flavour, which in turn drives customer loyalty.
Similarly, it’s incredibly easy to scale up your production as you grow, since manufacturing is outsourced to third parties rather than handled in-house. You don’t need to invest in new facilities or warehouses – you just make a new agreement with your private label partner.
Ben also explains that for large-scale cold brew businesses, private label partnerships help you adhere to safety regulations. “It helps you to improve shelf life through safe pasteurisation of products,” he says. You can choose manufacturers who already have compliant facilities and undertake microbiological testing to ensure food safety, helping you bypass lengthy setup processes.
Emerging market trends in the coffee industry also support the growth of private label RTD cold brew. The global RTD coffee market is now valued at almost USD $30 billion, driven by consumers with busy schedules who want products that are easy to grab and drink on-the-go. As these demands increase, being able to offer convenient, user-friendly formats like cold brew in aluminium cans will become even more important.
Should you combine these methods for maximum impact?
Ultimately, the best cold brew system is a holistic one – combining fresh service and on-the-go RTDs for maximum market impact. Choosing easily scalable formats on both sides means you can expand your product reach as cold brew grows in popularity.
In turn, it also helps to establish a wider reputation for your business. Customers can enjoy fresh cold brew made in your coffee shops, and then experience the same flavour on-the-go with your RTD line. It reinforces your identity and helps to position you as a leader in the fast-growing cold coffee sector.
Ben believes that adapting to these market changes is essential for winning customers and driving revenue. “As cold brew RTD has been a mainstay in the USA for years, with improved production quality in the UK and Europe, we will begin to see widespread consumer-led adoption of cold drinks to go,” he says.
This approach can be mutually beneficial. Coffee roasters can expand their in-house fresh service, while coffee shops and cafés can drive more sales outside of daily drinks service. “It gives roasters and cafés a new product line to market and sell to their audiences,” Ben explains.
Therefore, you can combine in-house brewing with RTD manufacturing to form a cohesive cold brew system that captures a range of consumer touchpoints and demands. For specialty coffee shops, foodservice businesses, and HORECA groups, it’s an endless opportunity for commercial growth.
Cold brew system: Key takeaways
- Dedicated cold brew equipment allows you to produce fresh cold brew quickly, consistently, and with less manual labour.
- Private label RTD cold brew helps you to reach new sales channels including retail, e-commerce, and grab-and-go fridges.
- Combining both of these formats for your cold brew system helps you meet rising demand and deliver the same quality across consumer touchpoints.
Ready to invest in a cold brew system? Learn more about our equipment and private label services, or speak with a member of the Hardtank team to learn more.
Cold brew system FAQ
Why should coffee businesses offer RTD cold brew?
RTD cold brew is a great way for businesses to sell their coffee outside of cafés, especially online and in grocery stores. This can open up your visibility and expose you to new consumer segments.
Do I need both equipment and RTD manufacturing?
It depends on your setup, but having both gives you more agility on the market. You can make in-store fresh service more efficient with equipment, and then expand your retail presence with RTDs.
How scalable is a combined cold brew system?
This combined approach is highly scalable, because you can produce more fresh cold brew in a day, and scale up RTD production by ordering more from your manufacturer.
Want to learn more about our cold brew system?
- Explore our technology: Browse our equipment here.
- Explore our private label RTD programme: Read up on our private label process.
- Speak to a cold brew specialist: Contact the Hardtank team.
