Super Coffee poised to take on Starbucks and Dunkin

Jordan DeCicco, Super Coffee Co-Founder joins the On the Move panel to discuss his beverage brand and how they have grown since their inception.

Video Transcript

ADAM SHAPIRO: Some of us drink a lot of coffee-- six cups, minimum. No joke there. And I haven't had any today, so I have a raging headache. Bringing into the stream right now, Super Coffee co-founder-- because you did this with your brothers-- Jordan DeCicco. He is the Super Coffee co-founder, along with his brothers.

And you've got a company that, in the last five years, now has a valuation of about $200 million. What's the secret of this coffee? Because I do mine without sugar, but you sweeten yours with-- never heard of it till this segment-- monk fruit?

JORDAN DECICCO: Yes, that's right. So the product secret is it's completely sugar free. We use monk fruit, which is a antioxidant from Southeast Asia, but also the architecture of the product. We use protein-- MCT oil-- healthy fats to give you a sustained boost of energy and no carbohydrates at all. So there's not going to be a crash.

And then, instead of a standard cup of coffee at 100 milligrams, you're going to get 200 milligrams, so it's equivalent to about two cups. So everything you need great on the go, nice for breakfast, as well. And then, from a company standpoint, what really makes us different is our team every single day. So--

JULIE HYMAN: Jordan, you guys were in-- you were on "Shark Tank." And the folks on "Shark Tank" did not love the taste of Super Coffee, right? And monk fruit, it doesn't taste great on its own, right? You have to put it sort of through a process to get this sweetness out of it. Have you guys tweaked your formula since then?

JORDAN DECICCO: Yeah, absolutely. We filmed that "Shark Tank" episode in 2017. And we've probably improved our formulas over 10 times since then. So that was a very, very early rendition of the formula. And I think a lot of it is just consumer feedback.

And also consumers appetites are changing, right? I think, in 2017, things like stevia and monk fruit, to Adam's point-- I mean, they're still very new. So over time, consumers will get more used to these types of sweeteners. We've certainly seen that. And now, our customers tell us that the number one reason they buy Super Coffee is because it tastes so good.

The fact that it has zero sugar and gives them additional health benefits on top of it is just an added bonus. So we've definitely come a long way since our-- since our "Shark Tank" episode.

RICK NEWMAN: Hey, Jordan. Rick Newman here. There is so much coffee in America, a Starbucks everywhere you turn. Dunkin' Donuts going after them. What's-- where is the addressable market here?

JORDAN DECICCO: Yeah, so, look, people want healthy, right? People want to live healthier lifestyles. They seek it in every asset of their lives. And unfortunately, Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts have been known for their frappuccinos and lattes, with 40 to 50 grams of sugar and 300-plus calories. And they've built great businesses on that model.

But it's very hard for them to pivot and convince consumers that they're the ones that deliver on healthy. So when I was a college student-athlete, I realized this and started making these drinks for myself. And that's what we based our business off of.

ADAM SHAPIRO: I am curious about the celebrity list of investors you've got. And then-- first, I thought maybe the name, Kitu Life, had some kind of, you know, origins, maybe Columbia. It means nothing, right? You were telling us that. But how did you get J Lo and A-Rod to invest in this? How do you reach out to celebrities? And did you get to meet them personally? What are they like?

JORDAN DECICCO: Yeah, absolutely. One, I think it starts with our purpose of wanting to mass produce positive energy. Like, we sell coffee for a living. That's our jobs. But it's all about positive energy, building great relationships. And A-Rod and J Lo share that-- share that purpose with us and our values. And we've spent time with them, and they're just two incredible, ambitious people. So they resonate with our vision and mission. We resonate with everything they stand for. And it was just a naturally good partnership.

And A-Rod mentioned that he drinks about 6 to 10 cups of coffee a day, Adam, so he's right up there with you. And he's been great to work with so far. And Jennifer, one of the most extraordinary people on planet earth. Nobody else we'd rather be partnered with and really excited to see what comes next with them.