happy® Taps Kroger for Major Expansion into Refrigerated Coffee Aisle

NEW YORK, NY – April 13, 2026 – happy®, the lifestyle coffee brand with the high-profile backing of actor Robert Downey Jr. and serial entrepreneur Craig Dubitsky, is making a significant move from the pantry shelf to the refrigerated aisle. The company today announced the launch of its first-ever multi-serve, 48oz ready-to-enjoy cold brews, which will roll out exclusively at Kroger banner stores nationwide this April. This expansion marks the brand's strategic entry into the fiercely competitive and rapidly growing at-home refrigerated coffee market.

A Calculated Pour into a Surging Market

The timing of happy®'s move is no coincidence. The brand is diving into one of the hottest segments in the entire beverage industry. The global ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee market, valued at over $26 billion in 2024, is on a steep upward trajectory, with some projections estimating it will surpass $42 billion by 2030. Within this category, cold brew is the undisputed star, boasting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) that dwarfs other beverages, projected at a staggering 22.72% from 2026 to 2034.

This explosive growth is fueled by a confluence of consumer trends. Busy lifestyles have made convenience paramount, while the pandemic normalized at-home consumption, leading consumers to seek ways to replicate their favorite café experiences without leaving the house. Furthermore, a growing health consciousness has positioned cold brew, known for its lower acidity, as a smarter choice in the eyes of many coffee drinkers. happy®'s new offering—available in unsweetened Cold Brew and Perfect Vanilla Cold Brew varieties—is designed to hit all these notes. The 48oz format caters directly to the at-home consumer looking for a premium, shareable, and customizable coffee experience.

The Kroger Coup: A Symbiotic Strategy

Securing an exclusive launch with The Kroger Co. provides happy® with an invaluable launchpad. With its vast network of stores, including banners like Ralphs, Fred Meyer, and King Soopers, Kroger offers immediate national scale and access to millions of households. This partnership allows the emerging brand to bypass the costly and complex process of building a fragmented distribution network from scratch.

"Launching with our incredible partner Kroger allows us to scale thoughtfully while bringing happy into more homes and everyday rituals," said Craig Dubitsky, co-founder and CEO of happy, in the official announcement.

For Kroger, the deal is equally strategic. The retail giant, which generates over $30 billion annually from its own private label products like Private Selection and Simple Truth, is constantly seeking to differentiate its offerings. By providing shelf space for an exclusive, on-trend product backed by significant star power, Kroger can attract new customers and fortify its position against competitors. The move places happy® directly in competition with established players like Starbucks, which offers multi-serve concentrates, and other innovators like Pop & Bottle, which recently launched its own 48oz format. The exclusive partnership gives Kroger a unique weapon in the escalating "cold brew wars" being fought in supermarket refrigerated sections.

The Founders' Formula: Disruption and Star Power

Behind happy® is a unique partnership that blends proven entrepreneurial savvy with immense cultural cachet. Craig Dubitsky is a titan in the consumer-packaged goods industry, known for his Midas touch in transforming mundane product categories into design-led, mission-driven success stories. His track record includes being an early investor and board member at Method Products, co-founding the iconic spherical lip balm brand eos, and founding hello products, the oral care brand acquired by Colgate-Palmolive. Dubitsky’s playbook involves creating an emotional connection with consumers through beautiful design and a friendly brand voice, a strategy he is now applying to coffee.

His partner, Robert Downey Jr., brings more than just celebrity endorsement. The Academy Award-winning actor has become an increasingly active entrepreneur and impact investor, most notably through his FootPrint Coalition, which invests in sustainable technologies. His involvement with happy® signals a genuine business partnership rather than a simple licensing deal, lending the brand a level of authenticity and reach that is difficult to manufacture. This combination of a serial disruptor and a globally recognized star with a passion for mission-driven ventures creates a powerful narrative that sets happy® apart from a sea of competitors.

A Mission in Every Bottle

Perhaps the most significant differentiator for happy® is its deeply integrated social mission. The brand has a formal partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization. This is not a superficial cause-marketing campaign; NAMI holds an equity stake in the company, aligning the brand's financial success with the organization's mission.

Every happy® product, including the new 48oz cold brews, features a QR code that links consumers directly to NAMI's free resources and support services. This initiative was born from feedback that many people discover NAMI only after a crisis; happy® aims to put that vital information directly into people's hands during an everyday ritual. The brand has further supported the cause by donating over 16,000 cans of coffee to NAMIWalks events and distributing mental health resource posters to thousands of schools in partnership with the National PTA.

By embedding its commitment to mental health awareness into its product, packaging, and corporate structure, happy® is betting that today's consumers want to buy from brands that stand for something more than just profit. As the new bottles begin to fill refrigerators across the country, they represent not just a convenient way to enjoy cold brew, but a new model for how a brand can blend commerce, community, and cause.

The new 48oz bottles, crafted with 100% Arabica beans and containing approximately four 25-calorie servings, will be available in Kroger and its banner stores starting this month, poised to make everyday coffee moments a little more joyful and a lot more meaningful.