Beekeeper Coffee | BevNET.com Product Review

Published: November 08, 2023 at 15:31 (Last updated: November 09, 2023 at 12:19)

Beekeeper is a new line of RTD cold brew coffee drinks that are made with Guatemalan coffee with a touch of honey. The line is being launched with four varieties packaged in 8oz cans.

The four varieties include three dairy-based (Caramel Latte, Vanilla Latte, and Mocha Latte) and one that’s a regular cold brew with a dash of honey, called the Double Black, which is listed as having 0 calories and 0 grams of sugar (and 180 mg of caffeine). They do mention that the honey adds a negligible amount of sugar.

The three dairy SKUs have 150 or 160 calories per can, as well as 125 mg of caffeine, 4.5 grams of fat, 8 grams of protein, and 7 grams of added sugar (17-18 grams of total sugar from added sugar and honey). Other ingredients include dipotassium phosphate, gum arabic, and gellan gum, which help with consistency and stabilize the product. These products are definitely on the higher end of the calorie spectrum when it comes to premium RTD coffees, and it’s clear that they’re trying to create products that win on taste.

Speaking of flavor, Beekeeper definitely tastes good. It starts with their lattes, which are rich, creamy, sweet, and indulgent. While there’s no shortage of coffee flavor, the milk and added flavorings seem to be more of a focal point. These drinks are also quite sweet, which is no surprise considering the amount of calories and sugar in them. The only thing that seemed a bit off was the use of honey, which isn’t something that adds flavor in any noticeable way.

Last but not least, we have the Double Black Dairy Free. This product is a bold and smooth drink with a hint of honey that doesn’t seem to add any sweetness, which we like.

Moving on to the packaging, Beekeeper comes in an 8oz can with a black top. The products have a matte label that features several shiny stripes running horizontally across the bottom of the label. For the latte flavors, they are used for SKU-specific colors that help differentiate the SKUs, while for the Double Black, the stripes are black and add a bit of visual contrast to the matte black background.

There are a few key pieces of text on the label, including the product claim “cold brew latte” (or “cold brew coffee” on the Double Black), the logo, which, despite being one word, is on two lines, and a four-line product claim that combines the product’s attributes with a bit of charm (e.g. “a dash of vanilla and a whole lot of rush”). Finally, at the bottom, you’ll find the actual flavor name.

While we would like the flavor name to be a bit higher up on the label (perhaps swapping places with the product description), t Beekeeper definitely has an aesthetically pleasing and polished look. We especially like the black can lid, which adds to its charm.

Ultimately, Beekeeper is a product that is technically sound in terms of both the liquid, the packaging, and the variety of SKUs. But beyond the use of honey, which doesn’t really affect the taste, there’s nothing about the product itself that sets it apart from other players in the market. For some consumers, the branding, which definitely looks sharp, will win them over, but beyond that, it seems like the brand will have to win on execution.

Given that there isn’t much happening in the RTD coffee industry right now, this is probably not a bad strategy.