With the recent relaunch of conceptcafescoffee.com (version 2.0), Concept Cafes has the proven private labels within the Heavy Metal, Horror, and Gaming genres. After releasing a very impressive roster of fan staples such as legendary Metal artists like Motörhead, Cannibal Corpse, and Gwar, along with a simple mission of the extremely monumental task of turning fans on to a better coffee experience, Concept Cafes are deserving of the acknowledgement and respect of the Specialty Coffee Community.
Private label, or white label coffees are nothing new, but they’ve always been dismissed as gimmicky and lackluster, often using uninspired themes and Premium Grade beans, burnt beyond recognition and flavored like a candy store. Concept Cafes firmly believes there is a distinct difference between the terms ‘private’ and ‘white’ label, where as ‘private’, they fundamentally regulate a degree of ownership and endorsement, while the latter insinuates simply slapping a brand on a milquetoast product in an effort to ‘artificially’ inflate its perceived value.
Often, white labels are overdeveloped dark roasts roasted well past second crack in a coverup to mask the fact that the roaster-for-hire is using more generic Premium Grade beans, and of course with enough artificial sweetener added, one can mask the flavor profile of any coffee. Forging ahead in the new wave of Heavy Metal Coffee, Concept Cafes has always adhered to the philosophy of “Never Compromising” when it comes to quality and control. They define an impulse buy as a gimmick, but a reorder as a success. Concept Cafes founder Mike Tonsetic adds, “…We’ve never heard of an artist who ever wanted a fan to only listen to their album just once, so we kinda share the same sentiment when it comes to producing their coffee; we want their coffee to be on repeat ‘til the coffeemaker starts smoking”.
It is known that quality and control in the coffee business is not a cheap endeavor, with global events drastically impacting every part of the coffee world, from tariffs, to logistics, and shortages. Through all of this, Concept Cafes has been able to navigate these challenges of the global economy while still only using Special Grade Green as well as keep everything from sourcing to direct-to-consumer logistics all in house. Most importantly, despite the recent economic challenges of both the coffee and the music industry, they still remained absolutely loyal to one of their core founding principles, which is to always be artist-first supportive. While most white label actors remain strictly focused on the bottom line, Concept Cafes is focused on creating the best immersive fan experience with the best coffee possible, while also constantly pushing the possibilities.
The days of matte black gusseted bags with a sticker label slapped on the front are yesterday’s news, as Heavy Metal Coffee Version 2.0 is both equally about creating packaging as it is a collectible as any vinyl record; ready to be dissected and displayed. The level of careful detail that is put into the designs can be seen and feel mind-blowing, all while it being a staple in the world of Heavy Metal, which is unprecedented in the coffee world until now.
The next evolution for Concept Cafes is unabashedly embracing the reimagining of the confines of traditional coffee packaging altogether, such as collaborating with legendary drummer Dave Lombardo to develop a coffee drum tin, or developing a very realistic IV blood bag with goth metal legends Type O Negative.
Founder Mike Tonsetic hints at the next evolution of coffee branding, “Probably the MOST important factor in the coffee equation, but equally as overlooked in the coffee industry, are the actual fans themselves, as after all, they are the ones actually drinking the coffee, and keeping us in business. So, our job is really simple: to make every fan a VIP. “
Will the private label coffee market that has historically skirted on the fringes finally be accepted by mainstream coffee culture? Concept Cafes confidently think so, and if they can turn some metalheads into Specialty Coffee lovers, and maybe a few coffee nerds also into fans, possibly that reality is not so far off base than one might think.
This press release was provided to Sprudge for Sprudge Press Releases. Interested in submitting a press release? Get in touch!
