Ready To Drink: Coffee Soda From Comeback Beverage Co.

We here at Sprudge Media Network absolutely adore a good coffee soda. From a good old fashioned Manhattan Special to the many modern takes on the drink, there’s just so much to love. On the latest edition of Ready To Drink, our feature series dedicated to RTD coffee products of all styles and flavors, we’re taking a closer look at the new coffee sodas from Comeback, a Memphis-based purveyor of canned drinks and whole bean coffee.

“Coffee sodas aren’t unique to Comeback,” says co-founder and designer Amy McPherson. “In some form or variation, shops globally have had sparkling flavored coffee drinks on their menus. What makes ours different is that we balance both the soda side and the coffee soda in a nice way. We flash chill all of our coffees which gives the coffee side of the drink a tea like body.”

Sprudge sat down with Amy McPherson of Comeback to learn more about this exciting project.

How long have you been working on this project?

Technically seven years! We introduced it as a menu item at our cafe and it’s grown from there into our main focus. We began canning it back in 2023 but we really just this last year began to focus on it being the flagship product of what we do at Comeback. We’ve transitioned from being a cafe to now fully being a coffee soda manufacturer (and roaster).

Who is the target customer for this product?

This is the fun part about it. Coffee soda fits in a lot of different spaces and applications. Everything from being a mixer for a bar or a grab and go item for a shop. We aren’t inherently targeting the coffee purists but like any drink on a specialty menu, it’s offering a different way to enjoy coffee. We have found that coffee folks love the switch up that coffee soda provides and even folks who aren’t big coffee drinkers who might just be curious about the flavors/ want a different form of caffeine kick get to “partake” in drinking coffee without it being a heavy coffee forward flavor profile and scaring them away.

How are folks describing the taste?

Honestly, folks are typically shocked when they first try it. While we aren’t the first to do a canned coffee soda, no one really knows what to expect as there aren’t a ton on the mass market to compare it to. They expect “heavier” flavors that are often associated with coffee but are surprised to taste fruity and citrus flavors. It’s really fun watching folks experience it for the first time. Almost always, folks are hooked after the first sip.

Tell us about the design of the product.

Much like the product itself, I wanted to create packaging that melded the worlds of old and new together. I wanted the packaging to feel modern and clean while also having a little bit of nostalgia and grit via some hand drawn elements and typography. I wanted this packaging to stand out amongst the colors and vibes that you see in the RTD coffee category while also being able to find a home next to the NA or even beer category.

What coffee is used in this product?

Washed Colombia; Natural Brazil.

Tell us a bit about the coffee!

We are a coffee company first and foremost. All that means is that we care about the coffees we work with. Any coffees that are in our beverages are also offered as options in our roasted program. But we work backwards as a coffee company when it comes to our coffee sodas. We first look to the type of soda we are wanting to produce and then source a coffee to fit that profile. For our Southern Style we use a Washed Colombia. In our Field Day we brew with a Natural Brazil.

Do you have future RTD products in development?

We’re always working on new flavors for our coffee soda line. We want to be continuously testing what we can do with coffee and keep it fresh and exciting. But we have a lot more planned for the near and far future. Because we are a fully equipped manufacturing facility, we have full control over every part of the process. This allows us to introduce more “traditional” canned coffee options as well as coffee industry adjacent products like teas and botanicals. We’re super fresh in the manufacturing side of what we do so we are really just getting started on what we are offering.

Final thoughts on the RTD category?

The RTD category is blowing up right now, especially in the N/A sector. Coffee is fun to watch in this because it’s allowing shops to access a broader market but not require roasting as the route to do that. What we found to be frustrating as a RTD coffee company is the approach was the same across the board. Canned cold brew/flash chill or canned lattes. There isn’t anything wrong with that but the separating piece to folks releasing these RTDs is typically brand awareness/location or capital. Coffee Soda started as a menu item for us in our physical cafe when we opened six years ago. As we have transitioned to being a beverage manufacturer/roastery, it only made sense for us to try to carve out a new lane in the Coffee RTD category with our coffee sodas.

Where is it available?

We’re sold nationwide and online! Currently, we are stocked with a lot of specialty grocers, coffee shops, and bars.

Product price

We retail a can for $4.50

Photos courtesy Comeback Beverage Co. by co-owner Amy McPherson.

Sprudge showcases coffee products in the “ready-to-drink” (RTD) category: packaged beverages sold in a prepared form, ready for consumption. Learn about this growing segment of the coffee industry, get inspired, discover new brands and more!