One Bourbon One Coffee

95 percent of the world’s bourbon is made in Kentucky. But that
doesn’t stop aficionados of the smooth amber-colored liquor from
debating where the name bourbon originated. Among Louisianans,
there’s no question that bourbon got its name from the infamous
street in the French Quarter in New Orleans. 


John Hampton has capitalized on both the proximity of Bourbon
Street and our rich French Louisiana history to open Laissez
Versez Distillery, a Baton Rouge-based bourbon
distillery.  


With four bourbon offerings, the distillery has garnered several
awards since launching in 2019 and serves it fresh from the
barrel in the tap room at its Airline Highway facility.


One Coffee


After a night out drinking bourbon, you might need a strong cup
of coffee to get yourself to work. For many, the jingle “The best
part of waking up is Folger’s in your cup” still rings true,
especially for at-home consumers. You would be forgiven for
thinking "Starbucks" is synonymous with "coffee" these days but
Folger’s still holds the leading market share in the U.S. ground
coffee market, accounting for over 25%.


But tastes and markets evolve, and if you have been paying any
attention you know that the over 170 year-old brand faces stiff
competition. Even here in Baton Rouge.


Chris Nance says he and his partner didn’t know anything about
coffee till 2023. Well, they knew a little about drinking it but
not much about how its marketed. After 16 months of researcha nd
development they came up with a plan to manufacture premium
coffee in partnership with a roaster in Lafayette, called Reve,
and to target blue collar workers with a brand they christened
Backbone Coffee. 


the oldest piece of advice in the history of manufacturing and
marketing is, "Build a better mouse trap." In other words, take a
product that everybody needs and make yours better than what's
already out there.


There is no shortage of coffee or bourbon in the US, and
especially here in Louisiana. So, in the better mousetrap theory
of evolution, you have to make yours stand out from all the
others to succeed.


Chris has found a way to differentiate Backbone Coffee from all
the competitors by taking a marketing approach that,
surprisingly, nobody has thought of: blue collar coffee.


And John is already hauling in awards for bourbon, which is no
easy feat in the first decade of making a product that
traditionally can take over a decade just to age enough to get to
market.


Out to Lunch is recorded live over lunch at Mansurs on the
Boulevard. You can find photos from this show by  Ian Ledo
and Miranda Albarez at itsbatonrouge.la.


 


See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.