Announced earlier this year, Chamberlain Coffee’s expansion to RTD features four dairy-free lattes in 12 ounce slim cans that are plant-based and sweetened with date syrup. 

Diving into the formulation a bit more, the drinks are made with cold brew coffee while a blend of almond and coconut milk provide the “dairy” for the latte. Choosing date syrup, which is both a low glycemic sweetener and one that does not count as “added sugar” on the nutrition facts panel, seems like a smart move. The drinks clock in at 110 to 120 calories and 4 grams of carbohydrates each. 

The four initial varieties are Cold Brew Latte, Vanilla Latte, Cinnamon Bun Latte, and Mocha Latte. It’s a nice selection of some of the more popular flavors that can be found in the RTD coffee category.

Fortunately, their takes of these popular flavors should help the brand establish a more unique positioning. We’d describe all four as very much being coffee-forwardt, which is quite different from some of the big company offerings that hit you with a wave of flavor and, oftentimes, sweetener. 

Chamberlain Coffee’s approach is subtler and smoother, complementing rather than overpowering the coffee. We’ll (again) compliment their use of date syrup, which provides just a hint of sweetness and we really like the plant-based approach, which keeps the drinks rich and creamy and avoids the burnt note that many dairy-based RTD coffees tend to have. 

All four flavors are enjoyable, although we found the original Cold Brew Latte and Mocha to be the best tasting end to end. The other two flavors, Vanilla Latte and Cinnamon Bun Latte, taste a bit too much like flavoring but, in fairness, these two would probably have the same issue if you got them at a retail coffee shop where they were prepared to order. 

The branding and packaging for these products is thoughtfully crafted and approachable, feeling less technical and serious than many of the brands that it will compete with. This starts at the center of the front panel, which features an illustration of a cartoon animal alongside the SKU’s hero ingredient (e.g. a raccoon holding a frosted cinnamon bun on the Cinnamon Bun Latte).  Above this, you’ll find the Chamberlain Coffee logo in white on top of the flavor name. Further down the can is a callout for almond and coconut milk, while  the top of the can is a secondary callout for the flavor name and a small logo for “Plant Based.” All in all, it’s a nicely arranged layout that is both functional and attractive while also fitting in with the other Chamberlain Coffee products.

Our only piece of constructive feedback on the packaging is that the white lettering, which is used for the Chamberlain Coffee logo and the copy describing the almond and coconut milk, can be hard to read depending on the light and doesn’t pop as much as the other elements. Changing the color or visual treatment would definitely help.

Overall, Chamberlain Coffee’s RTDs are an excellent extension for the brand. They are both well executed and have a nice point of differentiation, thanks to the plant-based formulations that are only mildly sweetened.