Wandering Bear Coffee
Wandering Bear Coffee is a New York-based cold brew brand that pioneered bag-in-box coffee-on-tap packaging, selling ready-to-drink cold brew, protein-enriched lattes, and concentrates direct-to-consumer via subscription, and through premium retail partners including Whole Foods, Costco, Erewhon, Thrive Market, and Wegmans.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Wandering Bear Coffee does
Wandering Bear Coffee is a New York-based producer of ready-to-drink cold brew coffee founded in 2014 by Matthew Bachmann and co-founder Ben while they were in graduate school. The company built its core positioning around being the first to put cold brew into a bag-in-box format with a built-in tap, using a proprietary cold-brewing and precision-filtering process plus a gentle flash pasteurization technique that enables shelf stability at room temperature before opening. Products are made from 100% Arabica beans sourced from Peru, Colombia, Honduras, and Mexico, and span 96 oz and 128 oz bag-in-box tap boxes in 12+ flavors (Straight Black, Vanilla, Caramel, Mocha, Decaf, Banana Bread, Blueberry Muffin, Toasted Coconut, Dirty Vanilla Chai, etc.), 32 oz cartons, 11 oz single-serves, 8 oz protein-enriched cold brew lattes (11g protein per serving via an ultra-filtered skim milk protein + high-oleic sunflower oil formulation), 32 oz double latte cartons, a 3-to-1 coffee concentrate, and a members-only "Secret Menu" of limited flavors.
The company operates a hybrid go-to-market model. The primary engine is direct-to-consumer ecommerce at wanderingbearcoffee.com, supported by a three-tier "Pack Membership" subscription program (Member free with $5 credit per $50 spent; VIP via autoship or $250+ annual spend with secret-menu access; Elite at $25/year or $750+ spend with 5% additional discount, flash sales, and anniversary rewards), aggressive bundle pricing (up to 33-40% off on multi-pack cartons), and a referral/affiliate program. Retail distribution includes Whole Foods Market, Costco, Erewhon, Thrive Market, and Wegmans, with wholesale/office accounts handled through a dedicated B2B inquiry process. Reported scale signals include 16,000+ 5-star customer reviews and a portfolio that expanded from core cold brew boxes into functional/protein-enriched RTD coffees with a November 2025 product launch.
Wandering Bear Inc. is a privately held, Delaware-incorporated entity headquartered in New York. It has raised approximately $28.7 million in cumulative outside capital across roughly a decade, including early backing from AccelFoods and M3 Ventures (a 2017 round led by AccelFoods and a 2018 co-led round of $8 million), follow-on capital from the Eugene M. Lang Entrepreneurial Initiative Fund, and a series of Regulation D exempt securities offerings in 2021 ($2.2M), 2022 ($5.0M), 2023 ($5.0M), 2024 ($2.0M), and February 2025 ($4.0M). Use of proceeds has been disclosed as ecommerce and office channel growth, marketing, hiring, and product portfolio expansion.
Wandering Bear Coffee firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wandering Bear Coffee
- Legal name
- Wandering Bear Inc.
- Website
- https://wanderingbearcoffee.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Wandering Bear Coffee is a New York-based cold brew brand that pioneered bag-in-box coffee-on-tap packaging, selling ready-to-drink cold brew, protein-enriched lattes, and concentrates direct-to-consumer via subscription, and through premium retail partners including Whole Foods, Costco, Erewhon, Thrive Market, and Wegmans.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wandering Bear Coffee industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cold Brew Coffee
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Instant Coffee & Coffee Extract Manufacturing (AFAFADAD)
Keywords
Where Wandering Bear Coffee is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Wandering Bear Coffee business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: Online sales through wanderingbearcoffee.com with subscription/membership model. Products sold in various formats: 96oz boxes, 32oz cartons, 11oz single serve, 8oz lattes, and 3-to-1 concentrate. Revenue generated through one-time purchases and recurring autoship subscriptions.
- Wholesale and Office Accounts: Bulk sales to offices and commercial accounts through wholesale inquiry process. Retail distribution through stores including Whole Foods, Costco, Erewhon, and Thrive Market.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 96oz Cold Brew Boxes - Starting at $39.99/box |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 128oz (1 Gal) Cold Brew Boxes - Starting at $47.69 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 32oz Cold Brew Cartons - Starting at $40.49 (3-pack) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 11oz Single Serve Cartons - Starting at $10.00/carton |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 3-to-1 Coffee Concentrate 32oz - Starting at $29.99 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cold Brew Latte 8oz (12-pack) - Starting at $32.99/case |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Member Tier (Free) - $5 credit per $50 spent |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | VIP Tier (Free with autoship or $250+ annual spend) |
| Subscription | Annual | Elite Tier - $25/year or $750+ annual spend |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
Wandering Bear Coffee product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wandering Bear Coffee produces and sells ready-to-drink cold brew coffee in proprietary bag-in-box tap systems (96 oz and 1 gallon), cartons (32 oz and 11 oz single-serve), protein-enriched 8 oz cans and 32 oz cartons of cold brew latte, and a 3-to-1 cold brew concentrate. Products are made with 100% organic Arabica beans using a flash pasteurization process that preserves taste and enables shelf-stable room-temperature storage before opening, sold primarily through owned ecommerce with autoship subscription and Pack membership, plus retail (Whole Foods, Costco, Erewhon, Thrive Market, Wegmans) and office/wholesale channels.
Product overview
Wandering Bear Coffee is a New York-based cold brew coffee company founded in 2014 by co-founders Matt and Ben, offering a portfolio of ready-to-drink cold brew products in multiple formats: bag-in-box tap systems (96 oz and 1 gallon), cartons (32 oz and 11 oz), and protein-enriched lattes (8 oz cans and 32 oz cartons). The core product line features extra strong cold brew in 12+ flavors (Straight Black, Vanilla, Caramel, Mocha, Decaf, Toasted Coconut, Banana Bread, Blueberry Muffin, Dirty Vanilla Chai, Espresso Roast), complemented by a 3-to-1 concentrate for DIY preparation and a Secret Menu of limited-edition flavors for members. The company operates a subscription-based membership program called 'The Pack' with tiered benefits, and sells products through ecommerce, retail partners (Whole Foods, Costco, Erewhon), and wholesale channels.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cold Brew On Tap (96 oz) Ready-to-drink extra-strong organic cold brew coffee in a 96 oz bag-in-box format with built-in tap, designed to fit refrigerator doors and dispense easily at home. Available in 12 flavors including Straight Black, Vanilla, Caramel, Mocha, Decaf Black, Toasted Coconut, Dirty Vanilla Chai, Banana Bread, Blueberry Muffin, and seasonal/secret-menu options.
- Cold Brew On Tap (1 gal / 128 oz) Larger-format ready-to-drink extra-strong cold brew in a 1 gallon (128 oz) bag-in-box with built-in tap, currently offered in Straight Black flavor for high-volume home or office consumption.
- Cold Brew Cartons (32 oz) Ready-to-drink cold brew in 32 oz cartons with approximately 5 servings per carton, offered in Straight Black, Vanilla, Mocha, Caramel, Decaf, Espresso Roast, and variety pack configurations.
- Cold Brew Coffee (11 oz Single Serve) Single-serve ready-to-drink organic cold brew in 11 oz cartons sold in 12-packs, shelf-stable until opened for convenient on-the-go consumption.
- Cold Brew Latte (8 oz cans) Protein-enriched ready-to-drink lattes in 8 oz cans with 11g protein, 100 calories, and 140mg caffeine per serving, available in Double Latte, Vanilla Latte, and Mocha Latte flavors and sold in 12-, 24-, or 36-pack cases.
- Double Latte (32 oz cartons) Protein-enriched cold brew latte in 32 oz carton format with 11g protein, 100 calories, and 140mg caffeine per serving (4 servings per carton), formulated with ultra-filtered skim milk protein for a creamy, non-chalky texture.
- 3 to 1 Coffee Concentrate Organic cold brew concentrate designed to be mixed 1 part concentrate with 3 parts water, yielding approximately 21 servings per 32 oz carton with 150mg caffeine per serving, versatile for cold brew, lattes, smoothies, and cocktails.
- The Pack Membership Three-tiered subscription membership program: Member (free, $5 credit per $50 spent, $5 off first order), VIP (autoship discount, secret menu access, VIP customer service; automatic with autoship or $250+ annual spend), and Elite ($25/year or $750+ annual spend, with VIP customer service, flash sales, early access, anniversary rewards, and additional 5% off all orders).
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 16,000 5-star customer reviews demonstrating high customer satisfaction
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Wandering Bear Coffee
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Wandering Bear Coffee technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Wandering Bear Coffee partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Wandering Bear Coffee competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Daily Harvest: DTC-first delivery brand cited alongside Wandering Bear in the November 2025 protein-RTD coffee product launch cohort. Operates in adjacent functional beverage/meal space with similar subscription and premium positioning.
Direct peers
- La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Specialty coffee roaster with a major RTD cold brew and Draft Lat line in cans/bottles, sold direct-to-consumer, in retail, and in foodservice. Closest peer in terms of premium positioning and multi-format RTD strategy, though lacks Wandering Bear's bag-in-box format.
- Chameleon Cold-Brew: Organic, fair-trade ready-to-drink cold brew brand owned by Nestlé, sold in glass bottles and cartons at premium grocery including Whole Foods. Directly comparable product mix (cold brew concentrate, RTD bottles, lattes) and similar organic/premium positioning.
- Stok Cold Brew: Danone-owned RTD cold brew brand focused on extra-strong, bold-flavored coffees sold in bottles at mass grocery. Directly competes with Wandering Bear's core "extra strong" cold brew positioning and similar flavor-led portfolio.
- Rise Brewing Co. Independent RTD cold brew and nitro cold brew brand sold in cans via DTC subscription and natural/chunky retail. Comparable premium positioning, DTC-first GTM, and broad retail grocery distribution.
- High Brew Coffee: Double-strength RTD cold brew brand sold in cans at mass grocery and club stores. Competes directly on extra-strong positioning, single-serve cans, and similar flavor-lineup expansion (lattes, flavored).
- Califia Farms: Plant-based beverage brand with a sizable RTD cold brew and oat latte portfolio sold at Whole Foods, Sprouts, and natural grocery. Comparable premium-natural placement and latte-line extension into functional/healthy positioning.
- Bulletproof Coffee: Functional coffee brand with RTD cold brew and protein/latte lines explicitly cited alongside Wandering Bear in the protein-RTD launch window. Targets the same high-protein, low-sugar functional coffee consumer.
Broad incumbents
- Blue Bottle Coffee: Nestlé-owned specialty coffee company with an expanding RTD cold brew and oat milk latte lineup in bottles and cans at premium retail. Larger incumbent with comparable single-origin/third-wave coffee credentials and broader portfolio.
- Peet's Coffee (RTD): Established specialty roaster (JAB-owned) with an RTD cold brew line sold at mainstream grocery. Larger incumbent with broader portfolio but overlapping single-serve RTD offerings.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Wandering Bear Coffee social profiles
Digital presenceWandering Bear Coffee financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wandering Bear Coffee leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Wandering Bear Coffee funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds11 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wandering Bear Coffee M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Wandering Bear Coffee
What does Wandering Bear Coffee do?
Wandering Bear Coffee produces and sells ready-to-drink cold brew coffee in proprietary bag-in-box tap systems (96 oz and 1 gallon), cartons (32 oz and 11 oz single-serve), protein-enriched 8 oz cans and 32 oz cartons of cold brew latte, and a 3-to-1 cold brew concentrate. Products are made with 100% organic Arabica beans using a flash pasteurization process that preserves taste and enables shelf-stable room-temperature storage before opening, sold primarily through owned ecommerce with autoship subscription and Pack membership, plus retail (Whole Foods, Costco, Erewhon, Thrive Market, Wegmans) and office/wholesale channels.
Is Wandering Bear Coffee a public or private company?
Wandering Bear Coffee is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Wandering Bear Coffee founded?
Wandering Bear Coffee was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Wandering Bear Coffee based?
Wandering Bear Coffee is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Wandering Bear Coffee make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce is the primary driver. The others are wholesale and Office Accounts.
Who are Wandering Bear Coffee's main competitors?
Daily Harvest is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are La Colombe Coffee Roasters, Chameleon Cold-Brew, Stok Cold Brew, Rise Brewing Co., High Brew Coffee, Califia Farms and Bulletproof Coffee. Broad incumbents are Blue Bottle Coffee and Peet's Coffee (RTD).
Does Wandering Bear Coffee have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wandering Bear Coffee.
What industry is Wandering Bear Coffee in?
Wandering Bear Coffee's product category is Cold Brew Coffee. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFADAD, Instant Coffee & Coffee Extract Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 311920 and its SIC code is 2080.