Earlier this fall, Dorinda’s Chocolates and Lighthouse Coffee Shop came together to create two delicious cold brew flavors made with Lighthouse’s organic Honduras coffee beans and Dorinda’s decadent Reno chocolate truffles. The result is the Lighthouse Coffee X Dorinda’s Cold Brew line consisting of canned cold brew coffees in the flavors Sea-Salt Caramel and Chocolate.
The cold brew collaboration was released on September 11th of this year and will hopefully remain available for the foreseeable future. Learn more about the collaboration between Dorinda’s Chocolates and Lighthouse Coffee from Daniel Lawson, General Manager at Dorinda’s, below!
What sparked the collaboration between Dorinda’s Chocolates and Lighthouse Coffee?
“The idea first came about when Todd, the owner of Lighthouse Coffee, and I tried his cold brew recipe with a hint of Dorinda’s Chocolate in it and absolutely fell in love with the flavor. There are so many different cold brews out there and honestly, they all suck. Lighthouse has the best cold brew in town by far, and we wanted to emphasize that. What first started out as a fun experiment quickly grew into a serious reality, we dialed in three different flavors, sea salt caramel, chocolate, and good ole plain cold brew. Then, we ordered the equipment, and voila! Now we are in the canning business.”
Are there specific criteria that Dorinda's Chocolates looks for when doing a collaboration with another brand?
“The most important criteria for us is quality. If another brand is trying to cut corners and drop quality in favor of making more money, it's probably not going to work out between us. If any product reps the Dorinda’s Chocolates brand it means that it is the absolute best of the best. We source local, organic, fair-trade ingredients of the highest quality, and are trying to educate people to better tasting, real food. We strive to be the best, and collaborate to create products that reflect what is best for everyone and the planet.”
What were the main goals of this collaboration?
“To make a flavored cold brew that still tastes like real coffee with real flavor, and to educate people into realizing that less is more when it comes to putting anything in your body. Those nasty coffees that people grab at gas stations are so full of artificial fake ingredients that, even though they say sugar-free, are actually worse for your body than plain ole cane sugar. We wanted a cold brew that had vegan options and was made with a few simple ingredients. We drink a lot of black coffee around here (you know... the way it’s supposed to be enjoyed) so we created a cold brew for those kinds of people.”
Will this be a limited batch or is it a permanent collaboration like the Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans?
“Just like any other product it has to sell year-round to become permanent, but so far everyone really likes it and we’ve been selling the heck out of it! So yes, this is a permanent collaboration between Dorinda’s Chocolates and Lighthouse. Once things start to grow, the end goal is to go to a big-time canning company and have them crank out pallets of cold brew. Costco here we come!”
About Dorinda’s Chocolates
Dorinda’s Chocolate Factory in Reno was built on family values. Their all-natural, hand-made chocolate creations are made using fairtrade ingredients of the best quality. We hope to provide an indulgent and ethical experience with every bite of our decadent Reno chocolate.
About Lighthouse Coffee Shop
Lighthouse Coffee Shop is a family-owned and operated business located in Sparks, NV. Their two locations - one on Vista Blvd in Aspen Glen and the other on Harbour Cove Dr at The Marina - serve various organic coffees roasted in-house.
Cold Brews Made With Real Reno Chocolate
Our canned cold brews are readily available to start your morning off right! This match made in heaven pairs organic Honduras coffee beans with real Reno chocolate from Dorinda’s including the sea-salt caramel truffle and traditional chocolate truffle. These delicious cold brew coffees are now available for purchase at both Lighthouse Coffee locations, stop by and grab yours today!