Molson Coors has been awarded national distribution of La Colombe Coffee Roasters’ ready-to-drink coffee products in select grocery and big-box retailers across the US.

The expansion, slated to begin late 2021 in leading national chains as well as in certain West Coast grocery stores, comes months earlier than planned and is based on Molson Coors and its distributors’ early success in large, national retailers such as CVS and QuikTrip, says Pete Marino, president of emerging growth at Molson Coors.

The coffee brand produces a number of canned ready-to-drink beverages.

“The fact that we have already unlocked these new distribution channels is a testament to La Colombe’s great products, our incredible distributor network and our ability to successfully drive a meaningful non-alcohol portfolio,” Marino says. 

“Specialty and (ready-to-drink) coffee products are one of the fastest-growing spaces in the beverage industry, and I’m extremely excited that it is a fast-growing part of Molson Coors’ beyond beer portfolio as well.”

Molson Coors and La Colombe inked a 10-year distribution deal in October, and Molson Coors tapped into its vast distribution network to begin selling La Colombe’s Draft Latte and Brazilian Cold Brew products nationally in January. 

As of September 1, Molson Coors is distributing La Colombe products in about 15,000 retail outlets throughout the U.S.  

Through the partnership, La Colombe already has increased its retail footprint by more than 400% in convenience stores, the top channel for ready-to-drink coffee, accounting for more than 40% of the market, data show.