happy: Searching for joy and magic in the modern coffee landscape
Cold Coffee Success Stories is a series that focuses on pioneering companies in the cold coffee space and their unique journeys. Today, we feature happy, a project between Craig Dubitsky and Robert Downey Jr. that aims to revitalise cold coffee and bring joy to its followers.
Millions of people around the world enjoy the daily ritual of a cup of coffee. Whether it’s starting the day off right, taking a well-deserved break from work to relax and decompress, or catching up with friends, coffee is a catalyst for happiness.
For Craig Dubitsky and Robert Downey Jr., founders of happy, the coffee world was becoming too comfortable – the question to solve was how to get back to the magic of simplicity and thoughtfulness relayed through a cup of Joe.
Since its launch in early 2024, happy has already made clear that it intends to approach the business of coffee uniquely, from packaging designs, product ranges, and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
We spoke to Craig to learn more about the motivations behind starting happy, how the journey has gone thus far, and what the plans are for the future.
What problem is happy trying to solve?
“When looking to break into the U.S. coffee category, I was surprised to learn just how massive it is – bringing in a whopping nearly $17 billion in sales annually,” remembers Craig.
“But even with this in mind, a closer look at the category revealed a relatively stagnant industry with minimal developments over the last 20 years. Coffee is supposed to be something delicious we love and enjoy, so how do we get back to the magic of simplicity and thoughtfulness?”
The global coffee market has grown significantly over the past two decades. In 2005, the International Coffee Organization estimated that 106 million green coffee bags were exported globally. Fast-forward to this year, expectations exceed 176 million bags, almost doubling global coffee production in twenty years.
As the coffee market has grown and matured, it has developed its unique categories, niches, trends, and waves. Craig’s view is that the simplicity of a great cup of coffee can sometimes be lost in the noise.
“I founded happy Products in February 2024, alongside Robert Downey Jr., with the idea that we could help people rediscover the magic in the everyday, starting with coffee,” he says.
“We offer delicious, expertly blended coffee inside bright, beautifully and thoughtfully designed packaging, bringing next-level delight back to our favourite beverage.
“We’re striving to bring joy to people’s lives with every sip – we’re called happy, after all – but we realise that even a great cup of coffee can only do so much. One in five adults in the US struggles with mental health, suicide rates have gone up 30% in the past two decades, and suicide is now the number two killer of teens. Mental health is health, and we’re committed to changing the narrative around something that impacts so many people in such a significant way.
“That’s why we’ve joined forces with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), establishing a first-of-its-kind partnership with the largest grassroots mental health organisation in the US.”
What’s behind happy’s unique packaging approach?
happy packages its coffee in a unique manner, using bright white boxes to house its coffee beans and colourful aluminium cans for its ready-to-drink cold brews and lattes. The result is a simple and elegant aesthetic that is unique to the company and sure to grab the attention of browsing shoppers.
In today’s highly competitive retail coffee environment, branding and design can prove crucial to success far earlier than a customer has a chance to taste the product itself.
“The idea of a custom pack for happy hit me while I was walking down the coffee aisle,” says Craig.
“I noticed the sheer number of dark colours and mixed material pouches which generally end up in landfills. Beyond the shortcomings of the primary packaging, we wanted to replace tropes and images of steam-emitting coffee mugs with a more modern spin, infusing a human element into the designs to spark a deeper emotional connection.
“We were drawn to vibrant colours on the bright white cube to make happy really pop on the shelf while further accentuating our distinct aesthetic and ethos. Our ground and whole bean packaging cubes are made from 100% curbside recyclable packaging, and the secondary packaging for happy’s single-serve pods is made with 100% recyclable Sustainable Forest Initiative paper so coffee lovers can feel good about their purchase and their environmental impact.”
Craig and his team are well in tune with what modern consumers seek when shopping for coffee products. Jumping off the shelf is covered by the unique approach to packaging design. Still, the materials are also highly sustainable, reinforcing a connection with the customer on environmental concerns and a commitment to more eco-conscious living. Sustainability is a significant trend in its own right and particularly relevant to the coffee industry.
Once the customer has purchased the product and can try it for themselves, the quality and provenance of the coffee can do its work on satisfaction and loyalty, but the first step is to grab attention and keep it – happy has a solid approach to doing just that.
Can cold coffee be happy, too?
The signature white cubes are for coffee beans and ground coffee – happy’s RTD line is instead packaged in aluminium cans boasting an appealing, sleek aesthetic in their own right.
“We launched ready-to-drink cans, which include a cold brew and our lattes in mocha, caramel, and vanilla flavours, just one month after launch,” Craig says.
“By working directly with our retailer partners to better understand shopper desire, we were able to create a really delicious range of offerings that would deliver the convenience of an on-the-go coffee beverage without sacrificing taste.”
The decision to enter the RTD and cold brew markets straight away is a good sign that the happy team is on top of key trends. Instant coffee, ground coffee, and capsules may hold the lion’s share of the market, but cold brew and cold coffee, more broadly, are growing rapidly.
Estimates are that cold brew will grow at a CAGR of 22.67% over the next seven years to 2032, and offering RTD cold coffee is a great way to satisfy consumer demand for product variation and innovation.
“One trip to your favourite coffee shop is all you need to see the demand for chilled coffee options and that it is on the rise,” Craig adds.
“Cold brew consumption is only increasing, so, yes, I suspect the growth will continue. We’re seeing an increase in demand for cold brew coffee makers and decaf cold brew as well. This is clearly a segment of the coffee category that people are interested in as they are increasingly seeking premium, convenient, and low-acid coffee options.
“Additionally, cold brew’s adaptability in ready-to-drink formats and creative beverage innovation further fuels its market expansion. We’re beyond excited to tap into the momentum while blending emotional innovation, a new visual vocabulary, a distinct tone of voice, and thoughtfully sourced and crafted coffee to take the coffee experience to new heights.”
Alongside the meaningful contributions happy makes to the charitable initiatives that inspired its creation, the company also drives coffee industry innovation. From product development to packaging design and sourcing practices, happy is every inch the modern coffee company.
With happy at the helm, coffee lovers should feel precisely that.
For sustainable, recyclable, cold brew coffee packaging like bag-in-box multi-serve cold brew packaging to flexible pouches and customisable aluminium cans, visit Cold Brew Pak. We offer biodegradable, compostable and certified recyclable packaging solutions for the specialty coffee industry.
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