It’s a scorching hot summer out there right now for our friends in the Southern Hemisphere, which makes perfect timing for New Zealand’s Flight Coffee to launch a fresh new canned cold brew concoction. This one’s got a little sparkle, and is made using Flight Coffee’s Bomber Blend infused with Manuka honey (iconic Kiwi goodness right there) and a dash of citrus. Once brewed, it’s carbonated, canned, and ready to drink!
We spoke with Director and Founder Nick Clark to learn more for this edition of Ready To Drink, a feature series on Sprudge exploring the growing product category of RTD coffee beverages.
As told to Sprudge by Nick Clark.
Hey Nick Clark! Tell us about Flight’s new beverage.
It’s fresh. It’s delicious. It’s a new way to enjoy coffee. We wanted to create something that’s a bit different, something that’s not what people expect, and push the boundaries a little. It’s made with our Original Bomber Blend which is made up of coffees from three origins, Colombia, Rwanda, and Timor-Leste. All of these coffees are sourced via our sister company, Raw Material, where 100% of the profits made from the green coffee go back to producers and coffee-producing projects. We then infused the cold brew with Manuka honey and Mandarin extract. The sweetness and acidity is something Bomber is known for and making sure we enhance these characteristics was the goal. We then carbonate and can it. From there it’s ready to bring smiles all summer long in a handy 240ml can.
How long did it take to develop the drink?
We had our first conversations about it towards the end of 2020. Like a lot of projects and plans, it took a bit of a back seat due to COVID pressures on our business. We picked it back up again in mid-2021 and work closely with New Ground who came back to us with a first round of samples. Safe to say the first batch was a knockout and exceeded all of our expectations so we locked it in and pushed go. So depending on your take, 18 or five months.
Tell us about the design!
You know we love yellow. Designing an RTD and a longer-life product is a new direction for us and we wanted to treat the branding for it in the same way. The drink is fun, it’s refreshing, and it’s a good time. That’s how we want people to feel when they’re picking up the can and spinning it around. Aspects of the font and layout are inspired from the retro years of when people used to rock up to a soda bar, pull up a stool, and let the good times roll.
What are people saying about it?
Given our background of barista competitions, my favorite quote to date is, “it’s a perfect signature drink, it complements and enhances the coffee experience.” Another favorite and something that gets us excited about its potential is, “this could easily replace those sugar-heavy energy drinks.”
Should it be consumed on its own or can it be mixed with anything?
I can’t decide if I prefer straight from the can or over ice. It depends on where I’m drinking it. Right now I’m sitting in a camper van swigging from the can on a hot NZ summer’s day and I couldn’t imagine a better coffee beverage to sip away at. My sister has reported in and said it’s dangerously good with gin garnished with healthy-sized chunk of cucumber. I can also confirm it is a good companion to gin.
Are canned coffee beverages taking off these days in New Zealand?
We hope so. It’s early days for the coffee RTD scene and from the feedback, we’ve had we’re wildly optimistic about it. Cold coffee, in general, is not hugely popular in NZ yet, but it is growing. Give it another year or two and you’ll see cold offerings from a chunk of NZ roasters, small and large.
Where is it available?
Online. Our cafe, The Hangar. Most cafes that stock FC around NZ. And soon to be other retailers across NZ.
How much is it?
$5.5 for a can.
Thank you!
Visit the official Flight Coffee website for more details, and follow Flight on Instagram.
Ready To Drink is a new feature series on Sprudge Media Network exploring the wonderful world of RTD coffee beverages. Interested in seeing your product featured on an upcoming edition of RTD? Give us a shout.
