First reported by Modern Retail, a sister publication of Digiday in Spanish, this story highlights the upcoming retail launches of two coffee brands promoting wellness in the United States.
After months of refining the look and cost of their products, two coffee brands focused on “your well-being” are gearing up for their first major retail launches in the United States.
Big Launches at Target
Clevr, a company that produces instant coffee drinks with plant-based milk blends, will be introducing four of its most popular flavors (Matcha, Chai, Coffee, and Sleeptime) at 500 Target stores in the U.S. this week. Additionally, Blume, a Canadian brand, is entering 90 Target stores in the U.S. this week with four powdered plant-based milk coffees (Blue Lavender, Salted Caramel, Coconut Matcha, and Hot Cacao Reishi). Both companies will also make their products available on Target.com.
The Rise of the “Better for You” Coffee
Clevr and Blume are part of the emerging “better for you” coffee movement, emphasizing vegan and eco-friendly beverages as alternatives to sugary and highly caffeinated drinks. “Superlattes” play a significant role in this market and often contain probiotics, anti-inflammatory ingredients, or adaptogens (herbs, roots, and other plant-based products like mushrooms that help the body respond to stress). Not all super lattes contain caffeine, although three of Clevr’s new Target blends do.
Transition to Mainstream Retail
A few years ago, products like these were considered highly specialized and were mainly found in health food stores. Now, major retailers are offering coffee alternatives. Target seems to be leading the charge in the United States, further boosting the category with its recent commitment to wellness products.
Testing and Trials to Enter Target
Founded in 2019, Clevr initially operated as a direct-to-consumer brand but now sells through Amazon and 10 Erewhon supermarkets. While around 90% of Clevr’s business comes from DTC, the brand is now focusing on expanding to more retail partners, according to CEO and co-founder Hannah Mendoza. To achieve this, Clevr spent the last 12 months simplifying its packaging. The Target products will be the first to feature this updated look, which will eventually extend to all products. Unlike previous packaging that did not list ingredients on the front, the new packaging does. It also includes an image of the finished latte, indicates the sugar content, and explains that the drinks can be prepared hot or cold. Clevr tested this branding with seven rounds of Target customers, implementing changes along the way.
“It was surprising how much was unclear that we thought was clear,” says Mendoza. “You can’t assume anything about what people get from your product.”
The Target products differ from the rest of Clevr’s new line in one key aspect.