HOT Canned Coffee, New York, announced that its grab-and-go HOTSHOT hot coffees and hot chocolate now is available on Amazon.com. In addition Amazon PRIME members will receive free two-day shipping and also may register for a subscription service, the company says.
The agreement with Amazon continues an exciting period of growth and expansion into new markets for the HOTSHOT team who, in addition to their relationship with New York City distributor S.K.I Beverage, and Tri State Theater Supply in Tennessee, have secured new distributor contracts with Gordon Food Service in Chicago, Vistar in Colorado, S. Abraham & Sons in Michigan, and Palmer Food Services in Upstate New York.
The coffee, available in Black, French Vanilla and Hot Chocolate, is made from liquid coffee extract which provides the purest coffee flavor and fragrance. The coffees are served in aluminum cans, made of 70 percent recycled content, that are warmed to 140 degrees — the perfect temperature to drink premium coffee — by a patented, custom-designed HotBox, the company says. The HotBox is designed to keep HOTSHOT beverages at 140 degrees day and night, while being energy efficient.
HOTSHOT is the brainchild of Entrepreneur Danny Grossfeld, who was first exposed to HOT coffee in a can on a trip Japan, where it is a $15 billion industry, the company says. Grossfeld launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring a version of the Japanese product to U.S. consumers, which caught the eye of NBC-TV Shark Tank producers. While Grossfeld didn't get an initial deal, the show's visibility helped secure private investment and generated significant consumer interest, it says.
"HOTSHOT's appeal is due to the fact that it provides delicious coffee to time-crunched consumers, while at the same offering the only 'plug and play coffee system' which creates an immediate revenue stream for retailers seeking to offer a coffee experience," said Chuck Miller, vice president of sales for HOTSHOT, in a statement.
Initial programs with Malco Theater Chains, Cirque du Soleil and New World Theaters (Broadway) and independent movie theaters have been successful and have shown strong re-order rates. In addition, HOTSHOT coffee and hot chocolate are available at J&H Family Stores, Michigan; the fast-casual dining chain, Furious Spoon, Illinois; Seneca Casino, Niagara Falls New York; and New York’s Richmond County Bank Ballpark, Berry Park in Brooklyn, Kick Axe in Brooklyn and Madison Square Garden. Tests are planned with Bed Bath & Beyond, as well as with Fuel, a quick-service option for guests at the Swan Dolphin Resort at Disney World.
"Concessionaires are proving to be a great channel for HOTSHOT," said Danny Grossfeld, chief executive officer and founder of HOTSHOT, in a statement. "Grab and go is ideally suited for stadiums, movie theaters and entertainment venues, but until recently the quality of the coffee wasn't what consumers expected from their barista experiences. HOTSHOT is showing that convenience doesn't mean less taste, and consumers are showing us that they love HOTSHOT hot OR cold."
