Cumulus Coffee’s Mesh Gelman on Revolutionizing Cold Brew for Home and Beyond

Summary

Podcast Summary: BRAVE COMMERCE - "Cumulus Coffee’s Mesh Gelman on Revolutionizing Cold Brew for Home and Beyond"

Podcast Information:

• Title: BRAVE COMMERCE
• Host/Author: Adweek
• Description: Rachel Tipograph, Founder & CEO of MikMak, and Sarah Hofstetter, President of Profitero, discuss the latest trends in eCommerce with leading brands. Each episode features invaluable sales tips and interviews with bold marketers navigating the ever-evolving consumer and retailer landscapes.
• Episode: Cumulus Coffee’s Mesh Gelman on Revolutionizing Cold Brew for Home and Beyond
• Release Date: November 5, 2024

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1. Introduction

Rachel Tipograph and Sarah Hofstetter warmly welcome listeners to today’s episode of Brave Commerce, introducing their guest, Mesh Gelman, the Founder and CEO of the Cumulus Coffee Company.

Notable Quote:

• “This is a show that talks about what's relevant in E-commerce for the world's biggest brands.” — Rachel Tipograph [00:17]

2. Guest Background and Origin Story

Mesh Gelman shares his journey from a New York upbringing to his initial career in the home fashions and textile industry. His pivotal moment occurred at a J.C. Penney gala where he met Howard Schultz, the then-retired CEO of Starbucks.

Key Points:

• Mesh’s fascination with supply chain and manufacturing led him to start a company supplying home fashions to major retailers like JCPenney and Kohl’s.
• The encounter with Howard Schultz sparked his passion for coffee, transitioning Mesh from textiles to the coffee industry.

Notable Quote:

• “I went to this black tie affair, and I'm like, I didn't know what I was doing there... I sat down and introduced myself to Jeff Bezos.” — Rachel Tipograph [02:29]

3. Transition to Starbucks and Building Relationships

Mesh explains his six-year tenure at Starbucks, where he observed the company's growth and innovation closely. His role involved revitalizing Starbucks' retail spaces and fostering innovation through the newly created division, Siren Ideas.

Key Points:

• Siren Ideas was established to bridge the gap between Starbucks' large-scale operations and external disruptors.
• Mesh’s friendship with Howard Schultz provided deep insights into Starbucks' core values and operational strategies.

Notable Quote:

• “Watching Starbucks through the eyes of the man who built it... was like a dream come true.” — Mesh Gelman [09:45]

4. Founding Cumulus Coffee Company

After leaving Starbucks, Mesh founded the Cumulus Coffee Company with a vision to revolutionize cold brew coffee for home use and beyond. Despite his initial intention to avoid the coffee sector, Mesh found a significant opportunity in the growing demand for premium cold coffee experiences.

Key Points:

• The shift from hot to cold coffee over the past decade created a market gap for high-quality cold brew at home.
• Cumulus Coffee aims to deliver a premium, mess-free, and efficient cold brew experience without the complexities of traditional methods.

Notable Quote:

• “Cumulus Coffee Company is all about bringing amazing cold coffee home... it's almost table stakes.” — Mesh Gelman [15:48]

5. Innovation in Cold Brew: Nitro Cold Brew

Mesh delves into the science and innovation behind nitro cold brew, highlighting how nitrogen infusion transforms coffee into a creamy, effervescent beverage without the need for dairy.

Key Points:

• Nitro Cold Brew offers a smooth, balanced taste by avoiding the acidic reaction caused by heat in traditional brewing.
• The introduction of nitrogen creates a velvety texture and enhances flavor nuances, making it a standout product in the cold brew market.

Notable Quote:

• “When you infuse coffee with nitrogen, it takes on a whole new world... it's like cream and sugar in the beverage without having cream and sugar.” — Mesh Gelman [19:24]

6. Overcoming Challenges in Beverage Innovation

Mesh discusses the complexities involved in producing cold brew at scale, such as maintaining consistency, reducing waste, and offering diverse flavor profiles. He explains how Cumulus Coffee addresses these challenges by leveraging innovative technology and streamlined production processes.

Key Points:

• Traditional cold brew methods are time-consuming and can lead to significant waste if not managed properly.
• Cumulus Coffee developed a system that simplifies the brewing process, ensuring consistent quality and reducing environmental impact.

Notable Quote:

• “The air that we breathe is 79% nitrogen. Is there a way we could use that air instead of relying on an external canister?” — Mesh Gelman [20:07]

7. Scaling and Distribution Strategies

Mesh outlines his strategy for scaling Cumulus Coffee, emphasizing a multi-channel approach that includes direct-to-consumer (D2C), office environments, bars, restaurants, and hospitality sectors.

Key Points:

• D2C allows for personalized customer connections and direct feedback.
• Expanding into offices taps into the post-pandemic trend of revitalizing workspace environments.
• Partnerships with bars and restaurants offer unique applications, such as crafting cold espresso shots for cocktails like espresso martinis.
• Cumulus Coffee also targets premium retail spaces and hospitality venues to reach a broader audience.

Notable Quote:

• “Where is it that people can use great coffee? The answer is everywhere.” — Mesh Gelman [22:36]

8. The Bravest Move: Building Relationships and Taking Risks

Mesh reflects on the crucial and brave decisions that shaped his career, particularly his proactive approach to building authentic relationships and embracing risks to spur innovation.

Key Points:

• Mesh credits his bravery for initiating and maintaining pivotal relationships, such as with Howard Schultz, which significantly influenced his professional trajectory.
• Emphasizes the importance of follow-through and genuine commitment to partnerships and ventures.

Notable Quote:

• “The bravest thing I've ever done... was believing that Howard was sincere when he said, stay in touch.” — Mesh Gelman [24:39]

9. Conclusion and Future Outlook

Rachel and Sarah wrap up the conversation by expressing their excitement about Cumulus Coffee’s innovative offerings and future growth. They encourage listeners to follow Cumulus Coffee on social media and stay tuned for future episodes featuring more groundbreaking entrepreneurs.

Key Points:

• Cumulus Coffee is positioned to disrupt the cold brew market with its innovative approach.
• Anticipation for Mesh Gelman’s continued success and the brand’s expansion into various markets.

Notable Quote:

• “We are so thrilled to have Mesh Gelman... saying yes, he meant it to find out I was right.” — Sarah Hofstetter [26:48]

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Final Thoughts:

This episode of Brave Commerce provides an insightful look into Mesh Gelman’s journey from the textile industry to founding Cumulus Coffee Company. Mesh’s passion for innovation in the cold brew space, combined with his strategic approach to scaling and distribution, offers valuable lessons for entrepreneurs and marketers alike. His story underscores the importance of seizing opportunities, building meaningful relationships, and embracing boldness in business ventures.

Recommendations for Listeners:

• Explore more episodes featuring entrepreneurs like Gabby Lewis of Magic Spoon or executives from Nespresso for continued inspiration.
• Follow Cumulus Coffee on Instagram to stay updated on their latest offerings and growth milestones.

Notable Quote:

• “If you like what you heard and you want to hear from other great entrepreneurs, go check out Gabby Lewis...” — Rachel Tipograph [27:25]

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Listen to Brave Commerce on Acast and stay tuned for more episodes that empower brands to navigate the dynamic world of eCommerce with courage and creativity.

Transcript

[Ryan Reynolds]

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[Ryan Reynolds]

The Cumulus Coffee Company is all about bringing amazing cold coffee home. Over the last 10 years, there's been a seismic shift from hot coffee to cold coffee. So here's this beverage platform that so many people love, but yet at home, they can't get it. And one of the interesting things is that we have become as consumers, our expectations about what we can get in our home has gone up. The ability to create an amazing experience at home today is almost table stakes. So, like, wow, the beverage we choose, we can't get at home in the most premium way. Big gap.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

Welcome to today's episode of Brave Commerce.

[Rachel Tippograph]

I'm Rachel Tippograph, the founder and CEO of Micmac.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

Sarah. I'm Sarah Hofstadter, president of Profitero, and.

[Rachel Tippograph]

This is a show that talks about what's relevant in E commerce for the world's biggest brands. Sarah, did I ever tell you that time I met Jeff Bezos?

[Sarah Hofstadter]

Did I ever tell you that time you sounded super pompous? Rachel, why don't you tell me the story about how you met Jeff Bezos?

[Rachel Tippograph]

Well, I thought you'd never ask.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

I would never know. How do I know you this long? And I never heard this story? All right, now everybody gets to hear. Let's hear your story about Jeff Bezos.

[Rachel Tippograph]

The year is 2016, and you probably know this person. Kristen Lenkow was the CMO of JPMorgan Chase. Every year, Jamie Dimon would put on this conference for the top performers within JP Morgan, and they would host it at the Ritz in Miami. They would have their executives do panels. They would have keynote speakers. And so Jeff Bezos was one of the keynote speakers. And I was on a panel that Kristin curated of up and coming innovators. I had no idea that Jeff was going to be there. All of this is internal. There's no, like, publicity around this event. I go to Miami, I do my panel, and then I'm at the dinner that evening, which is essentially all J.P. morgan employees and me, and I see Jeff Bezos on the buffet line. So I go to Kristen. Kristen, is that Jeff Bezos? She's like, yeah, he speaks tomorrow.

[Ryan Reynolds]

I was like, what?

[Rachel Tippograph]

So I go, I sit down at a table, and the entire night, I was looking at Jeff, and next to Jeff was Jamie Dimon. And on the other side of Jeff was his bodyguard. And the entire evening, I was waiting for that bodyguard to get up.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

Gotta pee sometime.

[Rachel Tippograph]

And he got up, and I beelined for the table. And I said, hey, Jeff, I'm Rachel Tippograph. I'm the founder of Micmac. And I sat down in the seat.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

You could totally be a bodyguard doppelganger. Go on.

[Rachel Tippograph]

I pitched him Micmac. You know, this is the early stages of Micmac. He talked to me for 45 minutes. It was pretty surreal. And then he goes, I have to go. I'm giving the keynote tomorrow, but come find me after so we can continue talking. So I get to the keynote, I watch him speak. I go backstage looking for him. I can't find him anywhere. And then I said to myself, I will never be more relevant than right now to Jeff Bezos. I took a guess at what his email was. We all could guess what it was. I shot him a very quick note, and he wrote back seven minutes later, introducing me to essentially this person that allowed me to kick off our Amazon partnership at mcmac. And I always tell this story to my team, which is, if Jeff Bezos can reply to me in seven minutes, we can get back to any brand or partner that reaches out to us in seven minutes. And it's a story that I'll carry with me for the rest of my life.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

Wow, that is extraordinary. I do appreciate speed. This is not one of the bravest things you've ever done. Well, it's not the bravest thing you've ever done, but it's pretty damn brave. And I'm pretty ballsy. Very on brand. Very regional typograph. Well, did I ever tell you the story about how I met Mesh Gelman?

[Rachel Tippograph]

No. How did you meet Mesh Gelman?

[Sarah Hofstadter]

This is a like for like story. So I'm at Google Zeitgeist 2017 in Arizona, and as I often do, arrange to get kosher food wherever I am. I had, in this very unusual circumstance, an embarrassment of riches. They gave me so much food I didn't know what to do with. And I'm at the cocktail party, and among all of the different faces I see that I recognize, there's one face I don't recognize. And oddly, he's got a yarnka. I'm like, this is why God gave me extra food. So I go over to this fellow, and I'm like, you look like you could use a nice kosher meal. And he looked like I had three heads for about one second, and then the next second said, yeah, I'm starving. And thus began my friendship with Mesh Gelman. So you went up to Jeff Bezos. I went up to Mesh Gelman. Mesh Gelman went up to Howard Schultz. And the story continues.

[Rachel Tippograph]

And that sounds like a dinner party. We should all get together and arrange.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

Absolutely. In lieu of that, today we do have Mesh. We don't have Howard or Jeff. Look out for a future episode, but today we've got Mesh and a fascinating story indeed of entrepreneurship and somebody who has both bravery and get shit done.

[Rachel Tippograph]

Let's bring Mesh onto the show today.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

We are so thrilled to have Mesh Gelman, the founder and CEO of the Cumulus Coffee Company, say that three times fast with us today. Mesh, it's been a long time coming, but we're happy that you're here.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yes, thank you for having me. Really so nice to meet you both.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

So let's first do a quick backgrounder on you because you have quite the interesting origin story. There's Haiti, there's Starbucks, there's Howard Schultz. There's some fascinating background. So just bring us up to speed on you, and then we can get into Cumulus.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Sure. So born and raised New Yorker. A thoroughbred, actually. Born in Queens. Started my career in home fashions, in the textile industry. And I was working for a company that was trading raw material, and I was, like, fascinated by this question. It's like, where's all this fabric going? Like, containers, you know, shipping containers full of product. And, like, what's going on with all of it? Little did I know. Began this journey to get closer to the customer for me. And what went from, like, deep into the supply chain and manufacturing to ultimately starting a company that sold home fashions to the likes of JCPenney, Kohl's target, all private label pillows, comforter sheets. Was a lot of fun and a great fascination of how you could really paint by numbers. Right? Like, you introduce a product, and it's like a thousand doors in a retailer and watching that all happen. We were very fortunate. We were pretty innovative. And in early 2000, we were doing a lot of business with J.C. penney, and we got a phone call. Hey, guys, you got to take out a table. I was like, what? I was like, yeah, like, you're a really important supplier to J.C. penney. You got to take out a table. And I go to this black tie affair, and I'm like, you know, I felt like a fish out of water. I was like, I didn't know what I was doing there. While I was sitting there, Howard Schultz, the founder and CEO of Starbucks, actually gave the award speech for Mike Ulman. Turns out Mike Ulman, the CEO of JCPenney, was on the board of Starbucks. And I love coffee. I was fascinated by what was happening in Starbucks, and I was like, I'm going to go meet this man. Who? And I walked over and introduced myself, and that was like, kind of like how I kind of transitioned from putting people to sleep to waking them up and going to the world of coffee.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

Oh, my gosh, I love that. I can't believe I've known you so long and I've never heard that story. And not the whole story. I mean, just that that sound bite. Letting people sleep to waking them up.

[Rachel Tippograph]

You're clearly a marketer at heart.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

That's legit. That's quality marketing, dude.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Well, it's hereditary. Because plagiarism, that's actually my dad's line, and he loves to say it. And it's like the greatest dad joke ever. My son went from people's asleep to waking them up.

[Rachel Tippograph]

Okay, your father is a genius copywriter.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yeah.

[Rachel Tippograph]

So you're at this gala, you meet Howard Schultz, the biggest guy in coffee, and now you have a coffee company. So tell us about your company.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Sure.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

Before we go to the company you ended up working for Howard.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yes.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

Oh, I want to skip that chapter because it's very interesting. This guy's running now his own coffee company, but also worked for Schultz. And also, spoiler alert, there's somebody with the initials HS that's an investor in Mesh's company. So back to the story. Go on.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Okay, gala.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

You introduce yourself. Go on.

[Ryan Reynolds]

So Howard was actually, at that time, retired from Starbucks. When I introduced myself to him and met him, he had stepped out of day to day operations and I got to know Howard. And ultimately in 2008, Howard returned to Starbucks and really bringing coffee back to its roots. I had this like great fortune of being Howard's friend and really seeing Starbucks through the eyes of the man who built it, right? So like I wasn't working for the company, but I was friends with him and hearing about what excites him, what concerns him, and it was just like, you know, what really where the heartbeat of Starbucks really is and what drives it. And then in like, call it like 2011, 2012, Howard said, hey, Mesh, what about coming to work for Starbucks and being that I was involved in retail and mostly the business that I was in, in the linen business was about traditional merchandising and product and everything like that. You know, here Starbucks had 100 million people coming into the stores every week and they had the retail lobby where people could buy merchandise and products. So think about when you walk into a Starbucks. There's, you know, newspapers and there used to be CDs and there's, you know, mugs and packaged coffee and snacks and et cetera. But you know, most people were just waiting online just to go get their coffee. And what do we do with that retail space? How do we invigorate it, make it exciting? With that, I decided to. It wasn't a very hard decision to come join the company and get involved. And I ended up being at Starbucks for six years. I had a front row seat to like, you know, one of its greatest periods of growth that the company had ever had. And it was just like something that I was personally passionate about, which is how transformative a cup of coffee is now to have a front row seat. And watching that from the inside was just like a dream come true. It was like a pinch me moment. Omnisend automates all the busy work for you. It can capture customers who abandon their shopping carts, recommend other products based on their purchases, wish them a happy birthday with a personalized offer, or instantly notify them as soon as your best sellers are back in stock. Start free with Omnisend today and keep growing effortlessly, sale after sale. Ryan Reynolds here for I guess my hundredth mint commercial. No, no, no, no, no, no. Don't, don't, don't. No. Honestly, when I started this, I thought I only had to do like four of these. It's unlimited to premium wireless for $15 a month. How are there still people paying two or three times that much? I'm sorry, I shouldn't be victim blaming. Here, give it a [e-mail] switch whenever you're ready.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

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[Rachel Tippograph]

And so what caused you to then go start your own coffee business?

[Ryan Reynolds]

It wasn't intentional. I left Starbucks at the end of 17, 2018 and because after I ran the retail business, the lobby business at Starbucks, Howard had retired again and Kevin Johnson, the CEO, asked me to step out of my day to day role and focus on kind of like disruptive innovation. So when you think about a company growth at scale, really, really, really hard, you know, you come up with an idea. But if a company's doing 25 billion, 30 billion in revenue just to even move the needle, it's got to be significant. So like growth at scale is really hard. Innovation at scale is hard. And on the other side of the coin, disruptors, they don't have the scale where they could like paint by numbers the way a large company can. So this new role that Kevin created, the division was called Siren Ideas. It was all about ideas for the Siren was about how do we find that perfect intersection between the scale of Starbucks and, and its pursuit of growth and innovation together with the disruptors that are kind of more external and is there an intersection where it could be a win win? And that concept to me was really fascinating because what if we made that bigger than Starbucks, right? Starbucks is all about a cup of coffee. But what about so many companies struggle with growth and innovation and there's so many great innovations happening that have nothing to do with Starbucks. So I left and I actually started a venture development firm with this ide of identifying these huge gaps and how we create something that could really be innovation at scale. And I had like this like mental commitment to myself is that I am not going to do anything in coffee. I wanted to be like, you know, so determined. It's not going to be coffee, it's not going to be coffee. But as the way coffee goes, the more you have it, the more you want it. And within a few months Maybe six, seven, eight months. I was like, huh. I have this idea, you know, I'm thinking this is white space. You know, let me see what could be done here.

[Rachel Tippograph]

So what is the concept?

[Ryan Reynolds]

Sure. So the Cumulus Coffee Company is all about bringing amazing cold coffee home. So when we think about kind of like, what's going on in the world of coffee, over the last 10 years, there's been a seismic shift from hot coffee to cold coffee. Fun little fact. If I would ask you, maybe you know the answer. Maybe, you know, taking Starbucks, what percentage of beverages at Starbucks are over ice versus those in the original white cup with that green logo? What would you get? What percentage?

[Rachel Tippograph]

Well, with your setup, I would probably guess like, north of 65%.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Sarah, you want to take a swing at it?

[Sarah Hofstadter]

I'm going to stick with Rachel's. But the question is, when did the pendulum swing? So, yes, surprise and delight us, but what caused that pendulum to swing?

[Ryan Reynolds]

Sure. So over 75%.

[Rachel Tippograph]

A 10% margin of error. I'll take it.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yeah, there you go. Right. So, like, wow, 75%. When I started at Starbucks 2014, that time, maybe 35%. Right. So, like, this huge shift and Starbucks, again, this is numbers that Starbucks shares publicly about how ice is on fire, so to speak. But when you think about, like, what just happening all over, no matter where it is, in convenience stores and like other cafes around the country, it's ice. It makes no difference of the. The season. Makes no difference what the choice of beverages, whether you want an iced espresso, iced latte, a cold brew, something with cold foam, and it's just like, it's explosive about what's happening in the world of cold. And one thing that's fascinating about cold. So there's a few ways to extract coffee, right? You could do it like espresso, like, you know, espresso machine, or you could do like a drip coffee maker. And when coffee interacts with heat, it automatically extracts. Another way to do that is if you let it seep with time. And what happens is, is that you actually get a whole different taste and profile of the coffee. Cold brew is like, you've heard words like it's smooth and it's balanced. Because when you introduce heat to coffee, it creates kind of like this chemical reaction with its chlorogenic acids that make it very acidic. It's kind of like that biting taste that we're all very familiar with coffee and cold brew doesn't have that. People say it feels better on their stomach and things like that. But you also Pick up more nuances of flavor. Really very, very complicated beverage to make. Why, even at, like, a large company, you have to brew it yesterday to enjoy it today, right? So just imagine, how do you plan for that? What happens if the day's extra hot or it turns out to be rainy or you run out or whatever? Like, what do you do? And then how do you offer choice? What if you want to give, like, a dark roast, a medium? You have waste. And like, what if when you're making it, you know, you have a lot on your plate and something's going? It's like, it's a very complex beverage to make. And in a cafe, it's hard. At home, it's very hard. It's wasteful, it's messy. You have to, like, be busy with it. So here's this beverage platform that so many people love, but yet at home, they can't get it. And one of the interesting things is that we have become as consumers, our expectations about what we can get in our home has gone up. Whether it's from Sonos or Peloton, the ability to create an amazing experience at home today is almost table stakes. So, like, wow, the beverage we choose, we can't get at home in the most premium way. Big gap.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

So how'd you get Howard on board with this puppy?

[Ryan Reynolds]

When after three years of working on developing. So I would say the hero product on the cold platform, and if you haven't tried it, it's a must. Is a nitro cold brew. When you infuse coffee with nitrogen, it takes on a whole new world. It becomes. It's like the consistency of it and the effervescence, it's velvety. It's like cream and sugar in the beverage without having cream and sugar. Sarah, we met at Google Zeitgeist many, many years ago is because you offered to me some kosher food.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

This is the only thing I'm known for, Kosher food. I got nothing else.

[Ryan Reynolds]

No, you got a lot more than that.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

True story, guys. True story.

[Ryan Reynolds]

You came over to me at that dinner. You're like, hey, you look like you could use some kosher food. You look hungry. You took care of me. You nurtured my soul. But interestingly, when Starbucks opened up our first roastery in Seattle, right before we opened it to the public, we all went in to kind of like, experience it. And I was hearing about this new beverage is nitro beverage, whatever. And the barista is, like, offering tastings, and she offers to me this nitro cold. I'm looking at it, and it's like creamy and milky. And as a kosher consumer, I can't mix meat and dairy. And I had just had a chicken sandwich, and I was like, oh, I would love to, but I can't have milk. And she's like, there's no milk in here. You're fine. And I'm like, no, no. Are you sure? He goes, yes, it's just coffee with nitrogen. And I put it to my mouth and I take a sip and literally, I thought I was going to be struck by lightning. It was so milky and so creamy. I'm like, what? And that's when I discovered the power. How nitrogen changes a beverage. Think about that. You need a nitrogen tank. You need to go ahead and, like, mix lines, and you need all this complicated equipment, and it could break and it could run out. And we said to ourselves, well, what if we could create a platform that can not only make cold coffee, but could also make nitro cold coffee, but wouldn't require, like, you know, those canisters that you use maybe for bubbly beverages or things like that, and they run out. You open your drawer, you find one in the back just to find out that it's really empty, it was from before, and you just can't have a good seltzer or whatever it is. The air that we breathe is 79% nitrogen. Is there a way we could use that air instead of relying on an external canister? And going back to your question, Sarah, when Howard saw a nitro cold brew being made and looking at it, he was blown away. I was like, the ability to be able to do that on the counter in your home, on demand, in the most premium. It's a game changer.

[Rachel Tippograph]

Really Incredible story, and it's so fascinating to think about the shift in consumer taste preferences around coffee. You launch the business D2C, like many entrepreneurs do, but often we then see those D2C brands need other forms of distribution. So how are you thinking about scaling your sales channel?

[Ryan Reynolds]

Sure. So I think what we think about is we look at kind of like this full circle of commerce, right? And we ask ourselves a question. Where is it that people can use great coffee? The answer is everywhere. Right? So now what does that mean? So D2C, it's a way for us to connect with people one to one. But what about the offices? Especially, like this whole, like, post pandemic, getting people back into the office and, like, what can we do to make an office environment great? So cumulus in the office, Very important. Very important category for Us. Then you think about a bar. What about a bar? And you want to make an espresso martini. Our machine makes cold espresso shots on demand. Now. Let's stop and talk about that for a second. If today I want to make an espresso martini at a bar, I have one choice. I could start being busy pulling a hot espresso shot, then trying to, like, have it, or I can make some type of coffee concentrate and keep it in the fridge. And it's not. It doesn't have that, you know, the crema that's necessary. The ability for Cumulus to be able to be in restaurants and in bars. You know, great channel distribution for us. Obviously, we think about other retailers, appropriate retailers, where Cumulus is really the people who are looking for a premium, elevated experience in their home. All exciting channels for us. Hospitality. I was at a great Marriott property in Pittsburgh. 130 rooms. It was wonderful. But, like, it's really difficult, but that's what we're expecting from premium experiences. You know, I'm at a golf club, right? And it's like, membership is a fortune or whatever it is. They can't even serve what people are drinking. Great opportunity for us to be able to deliver a cold experience, no matter. And meet the customer where they are.

[Rachel Tippograph]

You really paint the picture of. Of the optionality and distribution. Benj, we have to ask you our famous last question, which is, what's the bravest thing you've ever done?

[Ryan Reynolds]

Ooh, the bravest thing I've ever done. A very big pivotal moment in my journey was not so much walking over to Howard Schultz at that dinner, but in the conversation after we sat there for 20 minutes talking, saying to him, I'm looking forward to meeting you again. Him giving me his number and me taking him up. And the next time I was in Seattle calling him up and say, howard, I'm here. And to develop that relationship, which actually completely changed the trajectory of my professional journey, and not only professionally. I would say the profound impact of the lens of humanity that Starbucks and Howard live by. You know, Blending those two and how everything should be done through that lens has been one of the most impactful things on me personally. And it was believing that Howard was sincere when he said, stay in touch and not just being friendly for the moment and actually being crazy and saying yes, he meant it to find out I was right.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

Crazy bravery. There's a fine line, guys. There's a fine line.

[Ryan Reynolds]

It doesn't feel that brave, but, like, it felt brave, like, I'm a Shy person. And like, you know, it actually is.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

Very emblematic of who you are, which is you're willing to take risks because, hey, what's the worst that could happen? Literally, what's the worst that could happen? You say, I look forward to it. But then again, there are all these people that are just like, kind of freaking out. Going to fanboy on this, you taking that step, and then more importantly, the follow through. I think a lot of people do a lot of certain basics and they feel like that's the end goal. Oh, I got his number. Okay, but now what? What are you going to do? When are you going to do it? How are you going to do it? And that kind of goes to your ethos just in terms of what you did ultimately, both with eventually joining Starbucks. But then what did you do when you started your own firm? What did you do when you started Cumulus? Like that initiative. A lot of people have great ideas. A lot of people have a little bit of bravery, but you have the bravery to actually buy through. And I think that's really the essence of it all.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Well, thank you.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

Well, thank you so much for joining us, Mash guys. If you haven't tried Cumulus coffee, there's a good reason. It's brand freaking new, but follow on Instagram, check these guys out. I haven't tasted it myself yet, but my son, he swears by this stuff, so I'm up next.

[Ryan Reynolds]

You definitely are. And Sarah and Rachel, we're going to have to change that for both of you. So those bad boys coming your way.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

Well, thanks so much. And we'll be watching Cumulus's skyrocketing growth.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Yes.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

Can't wait.

[Rachel Tippograph]

Love Premium.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Thank you. Thank you both.

[Rachel Tippograph]

If you like what you heard and you want to hear from other great entrepreneurs, go check out Gabby Lewis, who is the co founder of Magic Spoon, who also started D2C and then went mass distribution. Or if you want to continue down the path of coffee, you can go check out an episode way back in the archives where we interviewed one of the executives of Nespresso, Justin George. He's no longer with Nespresso, but him and Mesh know each other. So why not go listen to that episode? If you like what you heard, tell a friend, write a review. Thanks for listening.

[Sarah Hofstadter]

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