A group of student entrepreneurs at the University of Utah are working to bring cold brew coffee to the masses with a new startup called Krum.
The company was founded by roommates and sophomores Brian Landauer, a finance major; Daniel Thorne, a design major; Henry Wall, an international studies major; and Chase Martin, another finance major.
“We see our mission as almost building a community and education platform, and making cold coffee more affordable and all natural,” Landauer said.
Krum already has more than 250 product sales, and the team hopes to grow the company rapidly in the coming months and years. Their goal is to be a leader in the cold brew industry, which is estimated to be worth $950 million by 2025 in the U.S. alone, according to Landauer.
The idea for the company came when these roommates started drinking cold brew coffee because of the health benefits and taste compared to hot coffee. They were spending $5 per cup at coffee shops for cold brew and started looking for a cheaper, at-home alternative. The four of them were not able to find one, so they thought this was a great business opportunity.
“I’m a coffee addict, but I can’t drink hot coffee because it’s pretty acidic, and it doesn’t sit well with me, so I had to buy cold brew,” Landauer said.
Krum cold brew coffee packets are available on their website.
Customers can buy Krum coffee on their website. They are currently selling a package of 10 cold brew packets on their website for $18.99. That makes each cup of coffee cost less than $2.
Krum also sells stickers to promote cold brew coffee. In addition to selling coffee, it is working to grow awareness about cold brew, since not many people have tried it nor know what it is.
People are just starting to appreciate the benefits of cold brew coffee, Landauer said. It is not acidic like hot coffee, because cold brew is never exposed to heat during the brewing process. Cold brew coffee is also not iced coffee – that is just hot coffee served cold and still the same acidity.
Iced coffee is just hot brewed coffee served over ice. The cold brew brewing process replaces heat with time. Coffee beans are steeped in water for an extended period of time to extract the flavor. This creates a smoother cup of coffee with less acidity and a higher caffeine content.
Making Krum coffee is easy. Just add a cold brew bag to a jar of water. Let is steep in the fridge or at room temperature for 6-10 hours, or longer if you like it strong. Then enjoy.
The Krum team is currently running the company out of their basement. They are working aggressively to grow the company with help from friends and family. They are also participating in the Company Launch program at the University of Utah’s Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute, where they are receiving mentorship and other support.
“We are a fun and energetic team, but we are also very serious,” Landauer said. “We see this as our future. We’re going to put everything into it.”
Learn more about Krum at drinkkrum.com, or find the on Instagram at @krum.
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