ROCKFORD, Ill., USA – Fire Department Coffee, a veteran-owned brand ready to rescue consumers from ordinary coffee – and yet another pervasive pumpkin spice season – marked its entry into the ready-to-drink category today with the release of Fire Dept. Coffee Nitro Cold Brew.
The cornerstone of the line, Nitro Irish Coffee, is a first-of-its-kind, non-alcoholic, canned Nitro Cold Brew infused with real whiskey and cream. It is available now, alongside three additional varieties: Nitro-Charged Latte, Nitro-Charged Shellback Espresso, and Nitro Vanilla Bean Bourbon, each in 7 oz single serving cans exclusively on firedeptcoffee.com. Distribution will expand to grocers and other nationwide retailers in the coming months.
“Customers have been asking for a simpler, faster way to experience their favorite Fire Dept. Coffee on-the-go, so the introduction of Nitro Cold Brew is our answer to their call,” said Luke Schneider, Founder and CEO of Fire Department Coffee. “With this release we’re not only offering a new way to experience our coffee – but we’re also bringing our proprietary, non-alcoholic spirit-infusion process to the ready-to-drink category for the first time.”
For its Spirit Infused Coffee varieties, including Nitro Irish Coffee, coffee beans are infused with premium whiskey before roasting out the alcohol, leaving behind only the spirit’s bold aroma, natural flavors, and familiar taste – a proprietary process the brand introduced in 2016. The end result is a cold brew far more flavorful and complex in palate than anything previously available.
Fire Dept. Coffee’s innovative flavors and single-serve cans are available at a pivotal time. Americans have voiced increasing frustration over the influx of pumpkin spice-themed product releases, especially coffee, and are looking to explore better and bolder flavors in the food and beverage category. In its recent survey of 500 Americans, Fire Dept. Coffee found:
Americans are experiencing pumpkin spice burnout – More than 1 in 3 (37%) Americans surveyed in August, before peak pumpkin spice season even started, said they were already tired of hearing about pumpkin spice.
The flavor that squashes relationships – 1 in 10 (11%) Americans surveyed said they would consider breaking up with a partner if their views over the taste of pumpkin spice differed- with the majority of those (52%) saying they would consider breaking up with a partner if they loved the taste of pumpkin spice.
The great pumpkin debate – 10% of Americans surveyed admitted to arguing with a friend or family member over their opinion of pumpkin spice coffee.
Americans are passing on the pumpkin spice latte – Only 1 in 4 (26%) Americans surveyed say they prefer pumpkin spice-flavored lattes over traditional lattes.
This year’s favorite fall flavor is another fruit – 34% of Americans surveyed ranked apple pie as their favorite flavor (among a selection of five popular fall flavors). Only 23% of Americans surveyed said their favorite fall flavor is pumpkin spice.
For those that think they must settle for the simplicity of pumpkin spice coffee, Fire Dept. Coffee will be ready to rescue them from the inevitable flavor burnout (likely before National Coffee Day, September 29, even rolls around).
