Edible Coffee - A fortunate discovery
No Normal Coffee is the first edible coffee! In this article we shortly tell you the story of how our product found its use not only for drinking, but also for eating.
The Idea Behind No Normal Coffee
The idea for No Normal Coffee was born in the mountains of Verbier. During our outdoor adventures, me (Alex) and Philippe, the founders of No Normal Coffee, realized there was a need for a lightweight, convenient, yet flavorful alternative that could be taken anywhere - a tasty energy boost, whenever and wherever we craved it. This led us to the idea of packaging coffee in something as practical as aluminium tubes. (Read more about the founding story of No Normal Coffee here)
Our initial experiments for creating a coffee paste that we could put into a tube, began in our own kitchen. But we quickly realized that we lacked the expertise to produce something truly delicious, as neither of us comes from the food industry. So, we partnered with HACO, a Swiss food company known for its expertise in developing and producing high-quality food products. They soon took over the entire process - from sourcing the raw materials to production and filling the tubes.Â
Together with HACO, we tested and refined seveal recipes – 15 different variantions, to be exact. However, to truly test the coffee's flavor "in action", Philippe and I went on an outdoor testing adventure. Which version tastes best during physical activity in the fresh air and would provide us with enough energy to get to the summit? After a long and thorough testing phase, we then finally settled on "No Normal Coffee - Dark Roast".
The First Moment of Discovery
During the testing phase, we stumbled upon an unexpected discovery. When we tasted the paste on its own, we suddenly thought: "Wait a minute, this actually tastes pretty good!".
The paste is made up of 46 percent coffee extract. Together with an additional 15 percent of ground beans, a thickening agent gives the black paste more strength and texture. The result is a strong, intense flavor, balanced by a slight sweetness that we've rounded off with a bit of organic Swiss sugar, which makes the dark roast paste taste less bitter and indeed quite enjoyable to eat.
Even we would have never imagined that our coffee would serve a purpose beyond drinking. However, what started as a mix of curiosity and fun turned into an intriguing idea: could we actually be the first coffee that you can eat?
Creativity from the Community
Since then, numerous ideas have spread even across social media about how to eat and combine our coffee in a tube - and the possibilities seem almost endless. What began as a simple spread on a piece of bread or small dollop on a banana or piece of chocolate has now expanded into a variety of recipes. From smoothies to coffee croissants, energy balls, and brownies with an extra kick - the creativity here knows no bounds.
While our No Normal Coffee is primarily intended for drinking, the fact that it's also edible has fascinated not just us, but seemingly many others as well. We're excited to see what other ideas will emerge and look forward to exploring the possibilities with you.
