Debbie’s mom immigrated to California from Vietnam but stuck to her roots and raised Debbie in a Vietnamese household environment. Debbie grew up loving the food and culture of Vietnam, but especially the sweet and creamy treat of Vietnamese coffee. Vietnamese coffee is simply dark and roasted coffee that is sweetened by using condensed milk.
Debbie had a financed supply chain management background. However, she wanted to spend her time doing something creative. So she started the Copper Cow Coffee business as a side hustle, manufacturing the coffee from her sister’s garage, and gradually grew her company.
What Do They Make?
Copper Cow Coffee are single, pour-over coffee filters that allow people to prepare gourmet coffee without additional equipment and skills. The filters are biodegradable and are filled with organic coffee grounds. The coffee is sourced from farms in Vietnam to bring an elite coffee experience to the USA.
The packaging also includes a Copper Cow creamer, which has no preservatives or additives. The combination of this Vietnamese coffee and creamers blends perfectly together and balances out the sweet and bitter tastes to provide you with the finest Vietnamese coffee.
What Makes Them Unique?
The pour-over coffee filters are made from biodegradable materials. The filter is easy to settle onto the rim of a cup, and then you can easily pour hot water on top of the coffee grounds. After the coffee is filtered through, you need to add the Copper Cow creamer that comes in the packaging. Mix them well, and you have a delicious cup of coffee right in the comfort of your house.
Are They Still an Active Company?
Copper Cow Coffee is selling in a lot of stores across the USA, including Whole Foods Market, Walmart, and other hotels.
How Did the Shark Tank Pitch Go?
Debbie Wei Mullin made a grand pitch on Shark Tank by introducing her Vietnamese coffee
She was seeking $600,000 for 4% equity in her business and let the Sharks taste her signature coffee flavors; the Classic flavor that comes with milk and sugar, Just Black, Churro Coffee, and Lavender Coffee.
Daymond found the packaging very attractive and commented how he had to wait for hours to get a cup of coffee in Ho Chi Minh. He was impressed that the same coffee was easily brought here in the USA by Copper Cow Coffee.
Robert remarked that the coffee was too sweet, and Debbie explained that it was even sweeter in Vietnam, and the reason why she had made the creamer sweet was that most Americans preferred their coffee with milk and sugar.
Lori also appreciated the convenient packaging of the coffee, and Debbie revealed that the technology of the pour-over coffee filters was very common in Japan.
Copper Cow Coffee went to a thousand stores across the USA in 2017 when Debbie made an appearance on the Fancy Food Show. Total sales, to date, were $4 million, and she had a 70% margin in her business.
Her sales were mostly from online platforms, and she was also selling the coffee in retail stores.
Lori was the first Shark to go out. She likes to put her heart into every business she invests in, but this idea wasn’t for her.
Debbie explained that in the next six months, she was hoping to make another $3.5 million in sales and $500,000 in profits. However, Debbie had raised $2 million in 2018 and had $1.5 million cash in the bank. The investors invested another $1.5 million in her business, and the valuation was $15 million.
Kevin commented that Debbie lost control of her business through these raises, as she just owned 40% of the company. He said this was a very expensive bet that he was not willing to take and was out.
Daymond also agreed that she had burnt up a lot of money and was still thinking that it was a norm for a startup business. He wasn’t impressed by the numbers and went out as well.
Mark commented that he was unsure of the driving force of her sales and product demand, and for that reason, he was out.
Robert made an offer of $600,000 for 8% equity. Debbie countered the offer by asking for 4.5% plus advisory shares. Robert said that there was a lot of uncertainty that came with her business, and he wasn’t willing to take a lot of risks and come down with his offer.
Debbie accepted his offer.
Our Review of Copper Cow Coffee
Copper Cow Coffee is a unique take on Vietnamese-style coffee that you can prepare anytime and anywhere. The Copper Cow creamer provides a perfect amount of sweetness and creaminess to the roasted coffee grounds. The biodegradable coffee filters come with paper holders that don’t let the coffee filter drown and make it easy to take them out once the coffee is ready.
The only thing that doesn’t make it an everyday coffee option is the high price of the coffee and the time it takes to make it. Otherwise, the distinctive flavor and elite experience make it worthy of your time and money.
Pros of Copper Cow Coffee
- The Copper Cow creamer tastes really delicious and provides adequate sweetness to the coffee
- Elite and gourmet experience for coffee-lovers
- Perfect for those who love Vietnamese coffee
- The coffee grounds are richly roasted without tasting burnt.
Cons of Copper Cow Coffee
- The filter must be filled approximately three times which doesn’t make it a preferred choice of coffee when you’re in a hurry
- The paper grips are of a specific size and not suitable for larger cups with wider rims
- Copper Cow Coffee is a bit on the expensive side
- The coffee grounds are sometimes a bit difficult to drain through the filter.
Who Is Copper Cow Coffee For?
This pour-over coffee is perfect for those people who would like to sit down for a calm and peaceful evening in their home with a cup of hot coffee with rich Vietnamese flavors of roasted beans.
Are There Any Alternatives?
- Moxy Arabica Original Phin Filter Vietnamese Whole Bean Coffee
- Cafe Pho Vietnamese 3in1 Instant Coffee Mix
- Trung Nguyen Vietnamese Coffee.
Our Final Thoughts:
The post-COVID effects had everybody looking for a unique coffee shop experience as a means to get out of their house and mingle with other people.
This made the Copper Cow Coffee business grow as it can be seen selling rapidly in various retail stores in the USA, as well as several hotels.
