Read this first: Bare Brew was named a finalist in Newsweek's Readers' Choice vote for Best Cold Brew Brand 2026. We did not win, and we do not appear on the published top-10 list. If you arrived here from a link or URL that suggested Bare Brew won a Newsweek award, that is not accurate — finalist is the correct status, and the paragraphs below explain exactly how the confusion started.
We were featured in Startup CPG's Newswire Roundup — the same publication that spotlights emerging CPG brands like CHUH Matcha, Oval Coffee Roasters, and Lemon Perfect.
The Startup CPG headline read "BARE BREW Sells Out First Production Run and Named to Newsweek's Best Cold Brew Brand 2026 List." That headline overstates it. Being a finalist in a readers' vote is not the same as being named to the published list, and we'd rather correct a flattering headline than let it stand.
For a brand built on two ingredients and zero shortcuts, this kind of recognition still matters. Not because we need a headline to validate what we're doing — but because it confirms that the market is moving toward what we've been saying from day one: you don't need sugar, artificial flavors, or a long ingredient list to make great cold brew.
What the Startup CPG Feature Means
Startup CPG is a large community of emerging consumer packaged goods brands. Their Newswire Roundup goes out to CPG founders, investors, buyers, and industry operators. Getting featured alongside brands that are redefining their categories is a signal that Bare Brew is on the radar of the people who shape what ends up on shelves.
The feature highlighted two milestones: selling out our first full production run, and earning a spot on the Newsweek Readers' Choice Best Cold Brew Brand 2026 finalist list — the finalist list, not the winners' list.
The Newsweek Recognition — Finalist, Not Winner
Newsweek's Readers' Choice awards are voted on by consumers rather than by an editorial board or panel of judges. Bare Brew was voted onto the finalist list for Best Cold Brew Brand 2026. We did not place in the published top 10 and we did not win the category. We are stating that plainly because we have seen the claim rounded up elsewhere, and we are not going to trade on an award we didn't receive.
Making the finalist list still lined up with something we hear in DMs, reviews, and at retail demos: people notice when a product is made with real ingredients and nothing else.
Our formula hasn't changed since day one: 100% Honduran Arabica coffee and filtered water. That's it. Two ingredients. No sugar. No preservatives. No "natural flavors." Just 320mg of clean caffeine in every 12 fl oz can, slow-steeped for a smooth finish. Per the can's Nutrition Facts panel: 20 calories, 5g total carbohydrate, 0g total sugars, 0g added sugars.
Cold brewing also extracts fewer of the acids that hot brewing pulls from the same beans — research published in Scientific Reports found cold brew has a lower total titratable acidity than hot brew, with comparable pH. That's true of the cold brew method generally.
Selling Out the First Production Run
When we placed our first full production order, we didn't know if the market would respond. Turns out it did — the entire run sold through faster than projected. That demand signal told us something important: there's a real, growing audience of people who are done compromising on what they put in their bodies just to get their caffeine.
We're now shipping nationwide from our DTC store, with retail expansion in progress. Every order ships within 24 hours, at $8.99 flat shipping on every order — no minimums, no free-shipping tier. A 12-pack is $53.99, which works out to $4.50 per can.
What's Next
We're not slowing down. More retail doors are coming. More content. More transparency about what goes into your can — and what doesn't. If you haven't tried Bare Brew yet, grab a pack and taste the difference two ingredients make.
And if you're a founder building something real in the CPG space, check out the Startup CPG community. It's one of the best resources out there for early-stage brands.
— Miles Schwartz, Founder of Bare Brew
