The packaged coffee and cold brew range uses Indonesian coffee grown on the islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali and Sulawesi | Photo credit: Indo

US rapper Snoop Dogg has launched a ‘premium lifestyle coffee brand’ in partnership with Indonesian coffee entrepreneur Michael Riady, founder of Tentera Surf & Coffee Roasters. 
 

In a press release, Snoop Dogg, whose given name is Calvin Broadus Jr., said his Indo coffee brand was aimed at ‘creative risk-takers and innovators’ and is seeking to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs. 

The packaged coffee and cold brew range uses Indonesian coffee grown on the islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali and Sulawesi, and roasted in Tentera’s coffee roastery in California. 

Indonesia is the fourth largest coffee producer globally, behind Brazil, Vietnam and Colombia, and the second-largest exporter of specialty arabica in the world. 

“My relationship with coffee goes way back. The many long nights in the studio making hit after hit, coffee provided the fuel which kept us going. Today marks the launch of a new company I created along with my partner Michael, who introduced me to the best tasting Indonesian coffee. Indo is going to change the industry, I can promise you that,” Snoop Dogg said.  

Indo will initially be retailed online before an being rolled-out at select supermarket chains, including Erewhon, Vons, Safeway, Sprouts and Amazon. 

Indo marks the latest business venture for Snoop Dogg, who has complemented a successful music career with several business interests.  

In 2015 he became a minority investor in Eaze, a California-based start-up delivering medical marijuana to customers ‘in less than 10 minutes’. In 2020, Snoop Dogg launched Snoop Cali Red in partnership with Australian wine brand 19 Crimes. 

His coffee launch is the latest example of celebrity ventures into the retail packaged coffee industry.  

In 2019, social media influencer Emma Chamberlain launched Chamberlain Coffee, a packaged coffee brand which gained immediate traction with Generation Z consumers.  

In October 2022 fellow US rapper Jadakiss launched a family-owned retail packaged coffee company called Kiss Café, while American actor Tom Hanks launched a consumer-packaged goods company, Hanx For Our Troops, in November 2022, which launched with a packaged coffee range, First Class Joe.