The collaboration marks a significant move for Kellanova to enter the coffee category and enhance brand awareness within the broader breakfast beverage space. The Eggo licensing was brokered by Beanstalk Group, Kellanova’s exclusive food and beverage licensing agency, and Tucker Brand.
Two Rivers Coffee designed Eggo coffee’s five coffee flavors, which are made from Arabica coffee, in Cinnamon Toast, Chocolate Chip, Blueberry, Maple Syrup and Vanilla, to align with the waffle’s toasted notes, Sam Blaney, director of marketing, Two Rivers Coffee, told FoodNavigator-USA.
“The [Eggo] flavors translated specifically to coffee. … The iconic [status] of Eggo just cannot be beat,” Blaney added.
The 12-count packs are available online on Amazon, Walmart.com, Target.com and TwoRiversDirect.com at a SRP of $24.99 for a 40-pack single flavor or variety box for $7.99 for a 12-pack.
Two Rivers Coffee: Standing out in the coffee category with flavor innovation, brand licensing
Two Rivers Coffee’s strategy to differentiate within the $36 billion global coffee market is rooted in its flavor development and licensing partnerships.
With 300 flavors of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cider and cappuccino pods, Two Rivers Coffee features a variety of dessert and bakery-inspired flavors, in addition to licensing partnership with category-adjacent brands, like Cold Stone Creamery, Cookie Jar Coffee and Tootsie Roll hot chocolate, among others.
“One of the things we understood very early on in the game [was] we were not going to out-coffee Maxwell House, Green Mountain or Eight O’Clock. … So, we were going to have to [differentiate] from them,” Blaney said.
Shifting focus from social media to in-person promotions
Earlier this summer, Two Rivers Coffee hosted a pop-up event in New York City for five days. Visitors were served Eggo coffee and Kellanova-supplied Belgian street waffles and given free merchandise to raise awareness about the collaboration. Fans outside of New York City could participate in giveaways at eggogiveaway.com.
Two Rivers Coffee’s strategy focuses more on in-person events and media communications and less on social media, Blaney said.
Blaney argued that Two Rivers Coffee prioritizes connecting with existing customers through social media, like Instagram, rather than solely focusing on acquiring new customers. He explained potential new consumers may not actively seek out their favorite brands online.