Chill Vibes: Top Iced Coffee Brands to Savor

As the popularity of iced coffee continues to rise, coffee enthusiasts are spoiled for choice with a variety of brands that have mastered the craft of the perfect cold brew. These brands offer a wide range of flavors and brewing styles, ensuring there's something for everyone's palate. From well-known international names to boutique roasters, the market is filled with options that promise refreshing taste and quality. Discover which brands stand out in delivering that refreshing cold caffeinated kick below.

Illustration of iced coffee

Best brands of iced coffee in 2025

Starbucks

Starbucks is the leading brand in the U.S. ready-to-drink (RTD) cappuccino and iced coffee market, capturing nearly 65% of the market share as of May 2024. The company's success is driven by its customization-centric business strategy, with 60% of all drinks sold in the U.S. being customized, generating $1 billion in sales from modifiers alone in Q4 2022. Cold drinks now represent 75% of Starbucks' U.S. beverage sales, with cold espresso beverages rising 13% year-over-year. Starbucks' rapid expansion and innovation, such as the rollout of cold foam blenders to all U.S. company-run units, have significantly contributed to its growth. The company's commitment to quality and customer customization has solidified its position as a leader in the iced coffee market. For more information, visit Starbucks' official website.

Dunkin'

Dunkin' stands as a formidable player in the iced coffee market, boasting a significant presence with over 13,700 locations across nearly 40 markets. In 2021, Dunkin' Donuts had 12,700 stores worldwide and generated $1.37 billion in revenue, with 60% of its revenue coming from coffee and coffee-related beverages. The brand sells an impressive 2 billion cups of coffee annually, or 60 cups per second, and has seen a 5.1% increase in same-store sales in recent quarters. Dunkin' Donuts is also recognized for its quality and consistency, ensuring that every cup meets the same high standards regardless of the roasting facility. This commitment to quality has helped Dunkin' tie with Starbucks as the brand of the year in the coffee shop category according to the 2021 Harris Poll. For more details on their offerings, visit the Dunkin' Donuts official website.

Seattle's Best Coffee

Seattle's Best Coffee, established in 1969, is a renowned brand for its high-quality coffee, including iced coffee options. It was renamed from Stewart Brothers Coffee in 1991 after winning a local competition and was later acquired by Starbucks in 2003. Despite the rebranding and logo changes in 2010, the brand has maintained its presence in over 30,000 locations by the end of the 2010 fiscal year. Seattle's Best Coffee is known for its smooth-roasted premium coffee and is distributed in various outlets, including JCPenney department stores and Royal Caribbean cruise ships. The brand was sold to Nestle in October 2022, ensuring its continued availability. For more information, visit the Seattle's Best Coffee website.

Stumptown Coffee Roasters

Stumptown Coffee Roasters stands out as a premier producer of iced coffee, particularly with its Original Cold Brew, which outperformed over 20 other store-bought iced coffees in Tasting Table's rankings. Founded in 1999 in Portland, Oregon, Stumptown is known for its high-quality coffee beans, sourced through direct-trade relationships, such as with the Aguirre family's farm in Guatemala since 2003. The cold brew is crafted through a 12-hour cold-water extraction process and double-filtered for a smooth, full-body flavor. As a B-Corp certified company since 2018, Stumptown emphasizes sustainability and community commitment. Its cold brew delivers more caffeine per ounce than many competitors, making it a favorite among coffee enthusiasts. For more information, visit their website.

Blue Bottle Coffee

Blue Bottle Coffee is renowned for its exceptional iced coffee, particularly its iconic New Orleans-Style Iced Coffee, which has been a favorite since its introduction in 2005 and sells around three million units annually. This blend, inspired by traditional New Orleans coffee, combines coffee, chicory, and sweetness for a harmonious flavor experience. The company's commitment to quality and sustainability is evident in its recent resolution of an iced-coffee cup crisis, where they switched to more durable and sustainable cups after a temporary use of cardboard cups. Blue Bottle Coffee has grown significantly, transforming from a small coffee cart to a $700 million eCommerce business. Its dedication to perfecting its coffee blends has earned it a loyal customer base. For further exploration of their coffee offerings, visit Blue Bottle's online coffee shop.

La Colombe

La Colombe Coffee Roasters is a renowned specialty coffee company, particularly acclaimed for its high-quality iced coffee offerings, including cold brew coffee. With an estimated annual revenue of $203.8 million and a workforce of 604 employees, La Colombe has established itself as a major player in the coffee industry. The company's cold brew coffee products have contributed significantly to the growth of the global cold brew coffee market, which is projected to grow at a CAGR of 19.9% from 2024 to 2030. La Colombe's ethical and long-term trade practices with growers further enhance its reputation. The brand's products are widely available in cafes, hotels, and restaurants, and it operates eleven cafes across major cities in the US.

Peet's Coffee

Peet's Coffee, founded in 1966 by Alfred Peet, is renowned for its high-quality iced coffee, particularly its cold brew line, which uses the East African Baridi Blend and is brewed without preservatives, ensuring a smooth and bold flavor without acidity. Peet's cold brew is available in several flavors, including dairy-free options like almond milk, and is sold in over 14,000 grocery stores across the United States. The company's commitment to freshness is evident in its roast-to-order policy, delivering coffee within 24 to 48 hours of order submission. In 2020, JDE Peet's, the parent company, raised $2.5 billion in an IPO, valuing the company at $17.3 billion. Peet's has expanded to over 200 retail locations and has a strong presence in the global coffee market.

Caribou Coffee

Caribou Coffee is renowned for its high-quality, handcrafted beverages, particularly its iced coffee offerings. In a comparison with Starbucks, Caribou's iced black coffee, although rated lower, was noted for its larger cup size due to cup design, and their green tea lemonade refresher received a high 8/10 rating for its refreshing taste and better value. However, their iced chai tea was rated mid at 6/10, lacking in spice and aroma. Despite some mixed reviews, Caribou's commitment to using real ingredients and its friendly atmosphere make it a popular choice. For instance, Caribou will donate 10% of proceeds from Amy's Blend to the International Women's Coffee Alliance, up to $50,000, from March 7 to June 5, 2024. For more details on their offerings and initiatives, visit the Caribou Coffee website.

Tim Hortons

Tim Hortons has emerged as a significant player in the iced coffee market, with cold beverages now accounting for 40% of its drinks sales in Canada, up from 30% four years ago. This growth is driven by the expansion of its range of cold, fruity Quenchers drinks and innovations in specialty cold coffees. In the first quarter of 2023, Tim Hortons saw a 16.6% year-over-year increase in cold beverage sales, with cold brew sales doubling compared to the same period in 2022. The company's cold drinks menu, including nitro cold brew and iced caramel macchiatos, has contributed significantly to its sales boost. Tim Hortons holds 24% of the roughly $4.5 billion cold beverage market. For more details, visit their official website.

Philz Coffee

Philz Coffee is renowned for its exceptional iced coffee, offering a personalized coffee experience with over 15 customized blends sourced from high-quality beans worldwide. Their iced coffee options, such as the Ecstatic and Philtered Soul, feature unique flavor profiles like butterscotch, dark chocolate, and hazelnut, making them stand out. Since expanding from a single location in San Francisco's Mission District to over 100 locations across California, the Washington D.C. metro area, and Chicago, Philz has maintained its commitment to sustainability and community. The company has over 1200 employees and utilizes advanced business intelligence tools to enhance customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. With a focus on real-time data analysis, Philz ensures that each cup is crafted to perfection.