DES MOINES, Ia.—Kum & Go is continuing its partnership with BLK & Bold to expand its premium coffee on-the-go services to over 300 stores. In January 2022, the Iowa-based retailer launched its initial partnership with the beverage brand by bringing sustainably grown, small-batch roasted and Fair-Trade-Certified coffee to 35 locations in Little Rock, Omaha and Des Moines.
With the expansion, Kum & Go will now offer the BLK & Bold experience in over 300 of its locations across the country, including its newest market in Salt Lake City and Grand Rapids, Michigan. According to Kum & Go’s press release about the launch, the brand’s “in-store whole bean-to-cup machines will distribute hot coffee that will feature BLK & Bold’s silky, creamy and bold Rise & GRND and Smoove Operator blends for a quality on-the-go experience for consumers.”
The collaboration offers customers a quality bean-to-cup experience quickly and affordably while nurturing Kum & Go’s core values of community engagement. Kum & Go shares 10% of all its profits with the communities it serves, and BLK & Bold dedicates 5% of profits to nonprofits supporting underserved youth across the country.
“This partnership creates an opportunity to share the quality of our coffee, bring an experience to our consumers and positively impact more communities,” said Pernell Cezar, CEO of BLK & Bold. "We are able to become part of people’s day in a new way by widening the accessibility of specialty-grade coffee to over 300 convenience stores for a premium on-the-go experience.”
Tanner Krause, CEO of Kum & Go, stated, “Kum & Go’s national partnership with BLK & Bold is the latest in our journey to bring a fresh perspective to the convenience space. BLK & Bold’s coffee is as fine a cup as you will find in our industry. Combining quality with the philanthropic values of the brand is a key reason why their company is growing rapidly and why they are an obvious fit with Kum & Go’s values.”
The recent sale of Kum & Go to Maverik created an 800-store, 20-state retailer.