Chameleon Cold-Brew

Chameleon Cold-Brew

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Coffee production
Founded	2010
Founder	Chris Campbell, Steve Williams
Headquarters	Austin , United States
Area served	United States
Key people	Chris Campbell, Steve Williams
Products	Ready-to-drink cold brew coffee, cold brew concentrates
Parent	Nestlé
Website	www.chameleoncoldbrew.com

Chameleon Cold-Brew is a U.S.-based coffee enterprise located in Austin, Texas. Established in 2010 by business partners Chris Campbell and Steve Williams, it holds the distinction of being the nation’s pioneer in fair trade and organic cold brew coffee production. The company has secured a prominent position within the cold brew sector, notably receiving the Best Coffee accolade from BevNET in 2014. Currently operating as a subsidiary of Nestlé, Chameleon Cold-Brew capitalizes on its dedication to quality and environmental responsibility to maintain a competitive edge in the specialty coffee market.

History

The inception of Chameleon Cold-Brew dates back to 2010 when Steve Williams, an experienced coffee professional and café owner, joined forces with Chris Campbell, an MBA holder and business advisor. Their partnership merged Williams’ knowledge of coffee with Campbell’s entrepreneurial acumen to develop a bottled cold brew brand inspired by the original Bennu Coffee formula. Collaborating with master roaster R.C. Beall and sourcing beans from Texas Coffee Traders, they refined the blend through rigorous trials. The product debuted in 2011 at The Whip In, a local Austin retailer. The original recipe continues to be served at Bennu Coffee’s two Austin establishments.

The company accelerated its growth by teaming up with regional providers such as Texafrance for bottling services. By 2012, Chameleon Cold-Brew was available in 225 outlets spanning 18 states. In 2013, Fortitude Capital LLC made a minority investment to support the brand’s distribution, marketing efforts, and infrastructure development.

Chameleon broadened its reach into natural and specialty retail chains including Wegmans, H-E-B, and six Whole Foods Market regions. Although initially cautious about entering large retail chains, it piloted sales in 81 Target stores across five states before expanding to more than 520 Target locations by 2015. That year, the company secured $4 million of a $4.5 million funding round aimed at scaling distribution and advancing research and development. The brand’s excellence was recognized with BevNET’s Best Coffee award in 2014.

In November 2017, global food and beverage giant Nestlé S.A. acquired a controlling interest in Chameleon Cold Brew for an undisclosed sum. This transaction brought the Austin-based brand into Nestlé’s growing coffee portfolio and reinforced its foothold in the U.S. ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee sector.

Products

Chameleon Cold-Brew produces ready-to-drink cold brew coffee along with concentrated versions designed to be diluted with water, milk, or other liquids. Their offerings are crafted using a 16-hour brewing method that employs fair trade, organic coffee beans combined with limestone-filtered water sourced from Texas Hill Country. The primary product range features three key flavors: black, mocha, and vanilla. In 2015, the company extended its lineup to include espresso, chicory, and Mexican-inspired flavors initially launched exclusively at Whole Foods Market. Additional concentrate varieties include caramel, mocha, and Texas pecan flavors. In 2016, Chameleon introduced a one-gallon bag-in-box black concentrate targeting regional markets. Sustainability remains central to their operations through the use of fully recycled packaging materials and participation in a carbon offset initiative coordinated with Green Mountain Energy for shipping processes.

External links

• Official site