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Key people at Riff Cold Brewed.
Riff Cold Brewed was founded in 2017 by Steve Barham (Cofounder).
Riff Cold Brewed develops and distributes plant-powered beverages, primarily focusing on sparkling energy drinks derived from upcycled coffee fruit (cascara), alongside their traditional cold brew coffee offerings. The company’s technical approach centers on sustainability, transforming previously discarded coffee byproducts into certified carbon-neutral beverages that deliver natural energy and immune-boosting properties. This method addresses agricultural waste while expanding the potential of the coffee plant beyond the bean.
The company was co-founded in late 2017 by Paul Evers, Nate Armbrust, and Steve Barham, among others. The founding insight stemmed from the environmental and economic impact of coffee production, where the vast majority of the coffee fruit is typically discarded. Nate Armbrust brought significant experience as a former director of cold brew product development, while Paul Evers contributed a serial entrepreneurial background, having also been involved with Crux Fermentation Project.
Riff Cold Brewed serves consumers looking for both classic cold brew and innovative, sustainable energy drink options. The company aims to maximize the agricultural value of the entire coffee plant, providing farmers with additional revenue streams by utilizing the cascara. Its long-term vision is to lead the beverage industry in resourcefulness and environmental stewardship, offering a range of planet-friendly, plant-powered products.
Riff Cold Brewed (now known as Riff Energy) is a beverage company producing sustainable, plant-powered energy drinks made from cascara—the fruity pulp surrounding coffee beans—along with real fruit juices and purees. It serves health-conscious consumers seeking clean-label, low-calorie alternatives to traditional energy drinks, solving problems like high sugar content, artificial ingredients, and environmental waste from coffee production by upcycling cascara to boost coffee farmers' revenue and reduce food waste.[1][2][3] Launched in late 2017 with cold-brewed coffee varietals, the company has evolved into a carbon-neutral brand offering sparkling drinks with 120mg caffeine, 105mg vitamin C, 40 calories, and 12g sugar per can, priced at $2.99 SRP, while expanding distribution and emphasizing sustainability.[1][3]
Founded in late 2017 in Bend, Oregon, by five co-founders including Nate Armbrust—who pioneered nitro cold-brew at Stumptown in 2013—and others like Evers, the company started with $1 million in angel funding from a "tribe" of 35 friends, family, and notable investors such as former NFL star Vernon Davis and ex-Anheuser-Busch president Dave Peacock.[1][2] The idea emerged from innovating cold-brewed coffee using just artisanal beans and Cascade Mountain water, avoiding acidity and bitterness through a passive cold process, and quickly gained traction: honored as "Early Stage Company of the Year" by the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network shortly after launch.[1] Pivotal moments included shifting from a commissary kitchen producing six 20-liter kegs weekly to a 9,000-square-foot production facility in Redmond, Oregon, opened in March 2018, growing to 35 employees by 2019 while expanding to cascara-based energy drinks.[1][2][3]
Riff rides the wave of sustainability-driven consumer packaged goods (CPG), capitalizing on rising demand for eco-friendly, functional beverages amid climate awareness and clean-label trends in the $50B+ energy drink market. Timing aligns with post-2020 shifts toward low-sugar, plant-based options and upcycled ingredients, fueled by farmer equity initiatives and carbon-neutral certifications that appeal to Gen Z and millennial buyers prioritizing planetary impact.[3] Market forces like coffee industry waste (cascara from 80% of global production) and regulatory pushes for transparency favor Riff's model, positioning it to influence CPG by proving scalable upcycling—partnering with universities and offsetting emissions—while challenging giants like Red Bull or Monster on health and ethics.[1][2][3]
Riff is poised for national expansion, building on 2019 distribution growth and sustainability edge to capture share in the booming functional energy segment, potentially through retail partnerships and e-commerce. Trends like circular economy mandates, vitamin-fortified drinks, and coffee byproduct innovation will propel it, evolving from a regional cold-brew upstart to a blueprint for waste-reducing CPG brands. Its influence may grow by inspiring supply chain equity, tying back to its tribe-backed origins as a revolutionary force redefining coffee experiences for a greener future.[1][3]
Riff Cold Brewed was founded in 2017 by Steve Barham (Cofounder).
Key people at Riff Cold Brewed.
