Founded in 2010, Texas-based Chameleon Cold-Brew is a modern beverage success story. Building its identity around the principles of organic coffee, sustainable agribusiness practices and cold-chain distribution, Chameleon has grown into one of retail’s most recognizable cold brew names, eventually attracting the attention of Nestlé, which acquired the company in 2017.
Two years later, with co-founder Chris Campbell no longer guiding the brand, Chameleon is at a critical growth stage. While still adhering to and enhancing the principles that have guided it this far, the brand — under the new leadership of chief product officer Matthew Swenson — is also forging ahead with a variety of innovations, including new refrigerated offerings and a line of shelf-stable cold brew oat milk lattes.
In this interview recorded at Natural Products Expo East 2019, Swenson discussed how the new products fit into Chameleon’s overall brand strategy. He and BevNET Managing Editor Martin Caballero also touch upon how the company is balancing its product development ambitions with its commitments to building long-term, equitable business relationships with independent organic coffee farmers in South and Central America.