Review: Original Loco Joe

Loco-Joe labels itself a "Crazy Cappuccino Drink", which is pretty much the best way to sum it up. The formulation and presentation of this beverage is definitely unlike any ready-to-drink iced coffee we've seen to date. We'll start with the obvious -- the tetra pak. Using an 11 oz tetra pak with ultra high temperature (UHT) pasteurization gives the product some technical advantages over its glass-bottled competitors, including the lack of burnt milk flavor that characterizes its glass-bottled competition. In addition, this product will be able to be sold in outlets where glass is unwelcome. However, the tetra-pak package also gives the product a more commoditized look than the competition, especially when you consider the cartoon-like imagery used on the label. The drink contains 270 calories and 5 grams of fat per carton. Given the number of consumers that are watching carbs and/or calories, Loco Joe's formulation is definitely a gamble. The taste of Loco-Joe is the most interesting part of the beverage. The consistency of the beverage is noticeably thick and compares to coffee-flavored milk that many dairies produce for the refrigerator case. The cocoa and milk flavors mask much of the coffee flavor, resulting in what could best be described as a "chocolate pudding" flavor. While we applaud the charitable and environmentally focused intentions of the manufacturer, this beverage needs to improve its formulation and packaging before we would consider it a legitimate competitor in the category.