What Explorer Cold Brew does

Explorer Cold Brew, Inc. is a Brooklyn-headquartered, Delaware-incorporated specialty coffee company founded in 2020 that produces caffeine-customizable cold brew beverages. Its core technology is a proprietary shelf-stable cold brew concentrate system that maintains quality without refrigeration until opened, paired with what the company describes as the world's first four-caffeine-level coffee line spanning 99.9% Swiss Water decaf through Extra Caf. The product portfolio extends the concentrate into ready-to-drink 12-pack cans, oat milk lattes, 32oz chai concentrates, whole bean coffee, and companion flavor syrups, with barista accessories rounding out the ecosystem.

The business model is direct-to-consumer e-commerce built on Shopify, augmented by a recurring subscription offering with free shipping, a wholesale and bulk program for offices and retail, and a store locator for physical-channel discovery. Pricing per SKU ranges from $20 for flavor syrups to $47.99 for a 12-pack of RTD cans, with the flagship 32oz concentrate priced at $45 and yielding roughly 20 servings at 1:4 dilution. The customer base is fragmented across health-conscious and sustainability-minded consumers, including pregnant individuals, the caffeine-sensitive, and those with dietary restrictions, supported by 884 verified reviews averaging 4.86 stars and earned media coverage in The New York Times, Food & Wine, Saveur, and Bon Appétit.

The company is LGBTQ+-owned, a 1% for the Planet member, partnered with Charity: Water, and licensed the Swiss Water Decaf process for its decaf SKUs. Since its 2021 $1.5M seed round led by NewBound VC, it has raised additional capital in 2023 ($2.5M, co-led by Bill Ackman's Table Management and NewBound VC) and December 2024 (~$1.05M via SEC Form D), and in January 2026 acquired Savorista to begin building a multi-brand caffeine-conscious coffee platform.

Name

Explorer Cold Brew

Legal name

Explorer Cold Brew, Inc.

Website

https://explorercoldbrew.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Explorer Cold Brew is a Brooklyn-based D2C specialty coffee company selling shelf-stable cold brew concentrates, RTD cans, and oat lattes across four caffeine levels, serving health-conscious, sustainability-minded, and caffeine-sensitive consumers via Shopify-powered subscriptions and limited wholesale.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Cold Brew Coffee

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192), Flavoring Syrup and Concentrate Manufacturing (311930)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee & Tea Concentrates, Syrups & Extracts (CRADAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Instant Coffee & Coffee Extract Manufacturing (AFAFADAD), Tea (Leaf, Bagged, Instant, Concentrates) (CRADAHAE), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)

Keywords

• Cold brew coffee
• Specialty coffee concentrates
• Ready-to-drink coffee
• Flavor syrups
• Chai concentrates

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of cold brew concentrates, RTD cans, oat lattes, chai concentrates, and flavor syrups through explorercoldbrew.com with both one-time purchases and subscription options
2. Wholesale and Bulk Orders: B2B wholesale distribution for offices, retail stores, and large events through a bulk discount program, with dedicated wholesale inquiry process
3. Subscriptions: Recurring subscription model with free shipping on subscription orders, offering repeat deliveries of cold brew and other products at regular intervals

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Explorer Cold Brew produces specialty cold brew coffee and chai concentrates available in four caffeine levels (decaf, half-caf, full caf, extra caf), packaged as shelf-stable 32oz concentrates, ready-to-drink canned cold brew and oat lattes, whole bean coffee, and a line of barista-grade flavor syrups. The company sells direct to consumers through its own e-commerce site with optional subscription delivery, while also fulfilling wholesale and bulk orders for offices, cafés, hotels, and retail partners.

Product overview

Explorer Cold Brew offers a portfolio of caffeine-customizable coffee and chai products centered on its flagship cold brew concentrate technology. The core offering consists of the 32oz Cold Brew Concentrate (available in four caffeine levels: Daydreamer Decaf, Seeker Half-Caff, Classic Full Caf, and Maverick Extra Caf) and ready-to-drink formats including RTD Cold Brew Cans and Cold Brew Oat Lattes. Supporting the core beverages are Chai Concentrates (Honey Chai and Dirty Spice Chai), Whole Bean Coffee, and flavor enhancement products (Explorer Elixirs syrups). Barista accessories (frothing pitcher, measuring jigger, electric frother wand, travel clutch) and branded merchandise (MiiR collaboration tumbler and coffee canister) round out the product ecosystem. The company also expanded its portfolio through the acquisition of Savorista, a specialty decaf and half-caff brand, marking its entry into a multi-brand coffee platform strategy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Savorista: A specialty coffee brand specializing in decaf and half-caff blends, acquired by Explorer Cold Brew in January 2026 as part of its strategy to build a multi-brand platform in the caffeine-conscious coffee segment.

Products and services

• 32oz Cold Brew Concentrate
• RTD Cold Brew Cans (12-Pack) Ready-to-drink cold brew coffee packaged in a 12-pack of cans, intended for convenient on-the-go consumption by individual consumers.
• Cold Brew Oat Latte (12-Pack)
• 32oz Chai Concentrate
• Whole Bean Coffee
• Explorer Elixirs Flavor Syrups
• Explorer Barista Frothing Pitcher
• Explorer Measuring Jigger
• Explorer Electric Frother Wand
• Explorer Cold Brew Travel Clutch
• Explorer x MiiR 16oz Flip Traveler Tumbler
• Explorer x MiiR Coffee Bean Canister
• Measure & Froth Bundle

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 1/4 of the emissions compared to other cold brew products due to concentrated format
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SavoristacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2026Acquisition of Savorista, a specialty coffee brand dedicated to decaf and half-caff blends, bringing award-winning decaf products, intellectual property, and customer base under Explorer Cold Brew's multi-brand coffee platform; founder Kait Brown to provide transition support
• Charity: WatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partnership where every box of Explorer Cold Brew purchased funds clean water access for someone in need for an entire month; supports well projects in Africa transforming entire communities
• 1% for the PlanetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental membership organization; a percentage of every sale goes to charitable causes supported by Explorer Cold Brew
• Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationLicensed use of Swiss Water Decaf process for caffeine removal in The Seeker Half Caff and The Daydreamer Decaf products; certified caffeine-free process
• MiiRminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerCo-branded specialty coffee accessories including 16oz Flip Traveler Tumbler and Coffee Bean Canister featuring MiiR's Thermo 3D insulation technology
• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform powering explorercoldbrew.com online store, enabling product listings, checkout, subscriptions, and order management
• DovetaleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCreator and influencer platform powering the Explorer Cold Brew Collab community program for affiliate marketing, gifting, and discount code partnerships

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Rise Brewing Co. Organic nitro cold brew and oat milk latte brand sold through DTC and grocery. Closely comparable in organic/sustainable positioning, RTD can format, and cafe-style coffee offerings.
• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Portland-based specialty coffee roaster and a pioneer of bottled cold brew. Directly comparable to Explorer in cold brew product format, specialty positioning, and DTC plus wholesale distribution.
• Chameleon Cold-Brew: Organic cold brew concentrate brand offering multi-serve and single-serve formats. Closest direct competitor in cold brew concentrate form, organic/fair-trade positioning, and DTC + retail distribution.
• La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Specialty coffee roaster with a strong draft latte and cold brew portfolio sold through DTC, grocery, and foodservice. Comparable in premium positioning and cold brew as core format.
• High Brew Coffee: RTD cold brew brand sold primarily in grocery and convenience channels. Comparable as a packaged cold brew competitor with similar price points and single-serve can format.
• SToK Cold Brew: Mass-market RTD cold brew brand owned by Danone. Directly competes in unsweetened RTD cold brew cans; significant private-label and shelf presence that pressures Explorer's retail ambitions.
• Califia Farms: Plant-based beverage brand with an extensive RTD cold brew and oat latte portfolio sold through grocery and natural channels. Comparable in oat latte format, plant-based positioning, and retail scale.
• Wandering Bear Coffee: Cold brew brand focused on concentrated boxed cold brew for home and office use. Closely comparable in the at-home cold brew concentrate category and B2B/office channel.

Broad incumbents

• Blue Bottle Coffee: Specialty coffee incumbent with DTC e-commerce, retail cafes, and packaged RTD coffee. Comparable in premium positioning, sustainability ethos, and craft coffee identity but at vastly larger scale.

Emerging players

• Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster with sustainability focus, whole bean subscriptions, and foodservice distribution. Comparable in ethical sourcing, subscription model, and specialty single-origin positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/explorercoldbrew
• Instagraminstagram.com/explorercoldbrew
• Xx.com/tryexplorer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/explorercoldbrew

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Explorer Cold Brew