BIRMINGHAM, Ala., U.S. — Royal Cup, Inc., a leading importer, roaster and distributor of premium and specialty coffees and teas, today announced that select products from its new shelf-stable, ready-to-drink cold brew coffee line are now available for purchase at more than 280 Walmart stores.
In March 2018, Royal Cup introduced its first line of shelf-stable, ready-to-drink cold brew coffees, which includes three flavors – French Roast, French Roast Lightly Sweetened and Rain Forest Bold. Consumers now can find two of these blends – French Roast Lightly Sweetened and Rain Forest Bold – on the shelves of their neighborhood Walmart store.
“We are thrilled that our ready-to-drink cold brew line will now be so readily available to customers,” said Bill Smith, CEO at Royal Cup. “We’ve had such a positive response to these products in the short time since their March release and fully expect the excitement will carry over into the retail space.”
In 2017, Royal Cup acquired Richgood Gourmet LLC, the manufacturer and distributor of Icebox Coffee, one of the nation’s first shelf-stable, cold brew coffees. Bebe Goodrich, founder of Icebox Coffee, now leads Royal Cup’s liquid manufacturing vertical as director of liquid product innovation and spearheaded the development of its new cold brew line.
“Our partnership with Royal Cup has shown what can happen when two businesses join forces to utilize each other’s strengths,” Goodrich said. “These products are the result of many months of hard work, and today’s announcement is an incredible milestone for the company as we continue our growth and pioneer new, innovative liquid product lines.”
The introduction of Royal Cup’s ready-to-drink cold brew coffees into Walmart stores demonstrates a major evolution in the company’s long-standing B2B business model.
“After 50 years operating with an exclusively B2B business model, this news marks a significant step forward for the company,” said Anne Pritz, chief marketing officer at Royal Cup. “We foresee this as only one of many exciting developments for the future of Royal Cup, as consumers now have the opportunity to purchase our products in a retail environment.”
Last month, Royal Cup also announced the launch of a new line of shelf-stable, ready-to-drink teas, now available in sweetened, unsweetened and peach flavors. These products currently are available for purchase in supermarkets, quick-serve restaurants and retail locations across the southeast.
