Over the past year or two there has been a lot of speculation regarding when Bulletproof would release their own branded Bulletproof Coffee in ready to drink form. After all, they pioneered the concept and it’s already been emulated by a variety of brands who use grassfed butter or MCT to make their own version of the product. But earlier this month, Bulletproof finally rolled out their own brand, launching exclusively at Whole Foods nationwide.

So let’s take a look at the products themselves. Launching with four flavors, including Original, Original with Collagen Protein, Vanilla, and Mocha, these products all have a base of cold brew coffee (using their proprietary “clean coffee”), Bulletproof Brain Octane Oil, and grass-fed butter. The Original offering is unsweetened, while the other three are lightly sweetened with monk fruit. All four of the products are packaged in 11.1 oz. Tetra Pak cartons with a Dreamcap resealable top.

From a taste perspective, Bulletproof has done a superb job of translating what you’ll find in one of their cafes into the packaged product. Original, which has no added flavors or sweeteners, delivers best on the classic Bulletproof coffee taste. It’s buttery and rich in body, while the cold brew coffee is clean and smooth tasting. Original with Collagen Protein is a more viscous and protein heavy offering (13g per carton) that also features a touch of sweetness. Vanilla and Mocha are their takes on two classic RTD coffee flavors. However, they’ve used real restraint with both the flavor and the sweetener, which keeps the base flavor of coffee and butter intact. And we have to say that for a product that’s sweetened with monk fruit, they’ve done an exceptional job of masking it.

While taste is part of the equation for any RTD beverage, these products are ultimately all about delivering the nutrition and functional benefits that Bulletproof hangs its hat on. To that end, if you are in the know about Bulletproof then there probably isn’t a whole lot to explain. But if you’re a new customer seeing this for the first time in Whole Foods, we’d imagine that it will require some awareness of butter coffee or MCT at a general level to resonate with the consumer. We say this because callouts for Brain Octane and “clean coffee” are things that will likely require an explanation beyond just what they have managed to fit on the back panel.

Fortunately, there’s also the package design that will help lure consumers in. The Bulletproof brand is obviously new at the RTD level, but there’s some definite brand equity that they’ll leverage. As far as the design of the carton goes, it’s busy but attractive and there’s something about it that makes it feel both technical and approachable.

All in all, we think that Bulletproof’s ready to drink line a well-executed offering that will help to build continued awareness for the brand. And it certainly seems like it has the right stuff to carve out its own niche in the RTD coffee space.