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Speciality coffee producer La Colombe has expanded its chilled beverage portfolio beyond coffee with the commercial launch of La Colombe Matcha Lattes, an 11-ounce canned ready-to-drink (RTD) range.
The brand's move into the RTD tea category follows notable demand across its retail coffee shop estate, where internal sales data indicates matcha beverage purchases expanded by 188% from 2023 to present.
The product introduction marks a portfolio extension for the Philadelphia-based beverage brand, which commercialised the canned Draft Latte over a decade ago.
The packaged matcha line is designed to translate café beverage preparations into shelf-stable chilled retail distribution without compromising preparation standards.
"When La Colombe first put the Draft Latte in a can, the brand helped reshape the RTD coffee category by making a true coffeehouse quality experience accessible to more people. Now, we're bringing that same craft and innovation to matcha," said Niel Sandfort, Chief Innovation Officer at Chobani and La Colombe.
"We challenged ourselves to create a product with the highest quality ingredients that raises the bar for what consumers should expect from RTD matcha. The result is a thoughtfully crafted matcha latte made with exceptional ingredients and the same care and precision we bring to every beverage."
Flavour Portfolio and Japanese Matcha Sourcing
The line comprises three introductory varieties formulated with Japanese-grown green tea:
🍵 Everyday Matcha Latte: A classic unsweetened and balanced formulation highlighting the natural umami profile of green tea.
🍓 Strawberry: A fruit-infused variation blending traditional green tea with subtle berry notes.
🍨 Vanilla: A flavoured option formulated with subtle vanilla extracts to soften the herbal tea profile.
Formulation and Dairy Integration
Each 11-ounce can delivers 65 milligrams of naturally occurring caffeine and serves as a functional source of dietary protein.
The recipe base utilises farm-fresh, lactose-free whole milk sourced from regional dairy producers in Michigan, paired with single-origin shade-grown matcha powder imported from Japan. Incorporating lactose-free whole milk allows the product to maintain dairy mouthfeel and emulsion stability while catering to consumers seeking lower-lactose options.
The RTD Matcha Latte collection is rolling out across nationwide grocery networks and speciality chilled food channels.
