This can of coffee heats up when you open it — here's how it works
Stumped on how to make the perfect cup of coffee? La Colombe has a solution that requires very little work.
The Philadelphia-based roaster's newest innovation is a single serving of canned coffee that heats up all by itself, no electricity or fancy machines required.
Yes, it's 2020 and the future has officially arrived.
A post shared by La Colombe Coffee Roasters (@lacolombecoffee) on Feb 24, 2020 at 10:14am PST
On Feb. 24, La Colombe announced the new addition to its Fresh Ideas innovation line and posted a photo of the new canned brew on Instagram.
So how does this cool, hot coffee even work?
"Activated with one twist, it will heat in 2 min for your on-the-go hot coffee enjoyment," the post's caption said. "Once you’re done, please recycle as you would a Draft Latte. Perfect for long car rides, camping trips, or whatever you want it to be perfect for."
Food
The bottom of each can has a cap that, once twisted, initiates a process called rapid oxidation in which two types of minerals are released that create heat when they come into contact. The chemical reaction occurs in a separate chamber from where the coffee is stored, but allows the liquid contents within to heat up to 130 degrees in just two minutes, La Colombe’s CEO Todd Carmichael demonstrated.
The can itself, which made by a company called HeatGen, is aluminum and also has a special thermal sleeve so people don't burn their hands as the coffee heats up. After the reaction is complete, the can needs to be shaken gently to ensure every drop within gets warm.
The technological innovation took the company five years to develop.
The single-serve cans come in La Colombe Brazilian Single Origin (basically black coffee) and La Colombe Brazilian with Milk and Sugar.
For now, the mind-blowing creation is only available at the brand's flagship store in the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia, as it's still in its testing phase. However, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported it will soon be available at Walgreens pharmacies across the country.
Regular cans of La Colombe's draft lattes cost about $3 each and come in packs of four for $12. The self-heating can retails for $5 now, but the company expects to lower the price as it hits more markets.
