On Episode #182 of the PricePlow Podcast, Mike and Ben welcome back Max Fairchild alongside industry legend Chuck Letchman and marketing strategist Dan Pierce to explore the launch of Brew Shockalaka, a revolutionary zero-sugar coffee beverage that's redefining what functional drinks can be. This isn't your typical RTD coffee or energy drink - it's a complete reimagining of the category that combines dessert-inspired flavors with a powerful 1000mg nootropic matrix, all while maintaining zero sugar and zero dairy.
Max Fairchild, Chuck Letchman, and Daniel Pierce reveal how they're revolutionizing the RTD coffee market with Brew Shockalaka's zero-sugar, nootropic-enhanced formula on Episode #182 of the PricePlow Podcast.
Brew Shockalaka! Zero-Sugar Dairy-Free Nootropic Coffee That Tastes Amazing
Max, who first appeared on the PricePlow channel back in 2018 during his Nutrex Research days, has partnered with distribution veteran Chuck Letchman to create what they call "the Deadpool of coffee" - a brand that refuses to take itself too seriously while delivering serious functional benefits. From the challenges of retort manufacturing to the strategic decision to launch in fitness channels first, this conversation reveals the complexities of beverage innovation and the power of industry relationships in bringing disruptive products to market.
The team discusses their unique approach to product development, from sourcing natural caffeine from Colombian beans to incorporating CognatiQ coffee fruit extract and a strategic 560mg dose of potassium. With flavors like Salted Caramel, Café Mocha, and Maple Cinnamon Donut, "Brew Shock" is targeting the convergence of energy drinks, functional coffee, and nootropic supplements while building a brand identity that embraces music, comedy, and authentic consumer connections.
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https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/brew-shockalaka-182
Video: Brew Shockalaka - The Coffee Revolution with Max Fairchild, Chuck Letchman, and Dan Pierce
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:17:07 — 78.8MB)
Detailed Show Notes: Building the Zero Sugar Coffee Revolution
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0:00 - Introductions: Reuniting with Max Fairchild
Mike opens Episode #182 with excitement about reconnecting with Max Fairchild, who first appeared on PricePlow's channel back in February 2018 during his time at Nutrex Research (see: Supplement Manufacturing | Can We Trust It? Max Fairchild of Nutrex). Now, over seven years later, Max returns with his own revolutionary beverage concept: Brew Shockalaka.
The episode introduces the powerhouse team behind this innovative RTD coffee alternative:
- Max Fairchild as the formulator and brand visionary
- Chuck Letchman as the business partner, distribution expert, and industry veteran, and
- Dan Pierce as the marketing strategist bringing digital expertise to the launch
This represents a convergence of formulation knowledge, distribution experience, and modern marketing savvy that positions Brew Shockalaka for serious market disruption.
Max provides the initial pitch, describing Brew Shockalaka as literally "trailblazing a new category" by combining truly badass flavored, decadent zero-sugar coffee with a fully transparent energy drink profile, hydration benefits, and disruptive branding. The goal isn't just to create another beverage, it's to disrupt multiple aspects of the market simultaneously through product innovation, brand personality, and team dynamics.
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2:15 - Chuck Letchman's Industry Legacy and Partnership Philosophy
Chuck shares his impressive industry background, starting in 1998 with nutrition retail stores in Texas before becoming a major player in supplement distribution. His journey from retail to distribution with Lone Star Distribution alongside John Hoffman demonstrates the evolution of industry veterans who understood relationship-building long before social media existed.
Chuck's story reveals the deep industry connections that make Brew Shockalaka possible. His experience as CFO at Formulife, one of the premier manufacturers in the supplement industry, plus his work with Redefine Nutrition, provides access to manufacturing expertise, flavor development capabilities, and retail relationships that would take new brands years to develop independently.
The partnership philosophy Chuck describes represents a shift from traditional investor mentality to authentic collaboration. Rather than treating Max as just another investment opportunity, Chuck approaches this as helping a talented industry veteran achieve his entrepreneurial dreams while leveraging decades of accumulated business relationships and knowledge.
Chuck emphasizes that his involvement goes beyond financial investment to include active mentorship, business guidance, and relationship facilitation. His comment about having "houses at the beach in Florida" and being "tired of getting fat and drinking beer" reveals someone who could remain retired but chooses to remain active because he finds fulfillment in helping others succeed.
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4:15 - Dan Pierce: The Digital Marketing Strategist
Brew Shockalaka RTD coffee delivers zero sugar cognitive enhancement with 200mg natural caffeine + 1000mg nootropics. Three dessert-inspired flavors at just 45 calories.
Dan Pierce brings extensive supplement industry experience combined with cutting-edge digital marketing expertise through his agency Spry Tribe. His background includes fractional executive roles at Gaspari Nutrition, JYM Supplement Science, and Evogen Nutrition, plus collaborative work with Max at Nutrex on Amazon optimization.
Dan's role represents the modern evolution of supplement marketing, where traditional industry relationships must be amplified through sophisticated digital strategies. His experience as a "cleanup expert" for unorganized and poorly-optimized brands provides valuable insights into common pitfalls that Brew Shockalaka can avoid from launch.
The relationship dynamics Dan describes with Max reveal the importance of honest feedback and accountability in entrepreneurial partnerships. His admission to being "a dick sometimes" about pushing Max to move forward demonstrates the kind of direct communication that drives successful product launches rather than endless development cycles.
Dan's agency background means Brew Shockalaka benefits from professional marketing capabilities typically available only to much larger brands. This levels the playing field against established beverage companies while providing the agility and authenticity that larger corporations often struggle to achieve.
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6:00 - The Genesis Story: From Powder to RTD Innovation
Max explains how Brew Shockalaka evolved from initial powder concepts to the revolutionary RTD format that launched. While powder coffee and mushroom coffee products existed in the market, Max recognized fundamental limitations in both taste and market potential that an innovative RTD approach could solve.
The decision to transition from powder to canned coffee was a major strategic pivot that required significantly more capital investment but opened access to much larger market opportunities. Max's analysis that powder success might yield "an eight figure exit" while beverage success could reach much higher levels demonstrates sophisticated market understanding.
The development process involved extensive research and development with multiple flavor houses, resulting in over $100,000 worth of free R&D work based on Max's industry relationships and the compelling nature of his concept. This relationship-based approach to product development showcases how industry veterans can leverage decades of partnership building to accelerate innovation.
The "right time, right place" partnership with their Midwest manufacturer occurred when a major brand left the facility, providing the production capacity Brew Shockalaka needed. This timing demonstrates how industry relationships and reputation can create opportunities that aren't available to complete outsiders.
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8:30 - Manufacturing Challenges: The Retort Reality
The conversation explores the significant differences between supplement powder manufacturing and RTD beverage production, particularly the retort process that gives Brew Shockalaka its 24-month shelf life. Chuck explains retort as pressurized heat treatment at 256 degrees for 14 minutes, similar to autoclaving surgical instruments.
This manufacturing approach creates both challenges and advantages. The process adds significant cost per unit and requires specialized equipment and expertise, but delivers exceptional shelf life and product stability without harsh preservatives. The result is a product that tastes as good after 16 months as it does fresh from production.
Max discusses the learning curve involved in understanding retort manufacturing, including unexpected sensory characteristics like sulfuric smells during initial opening and the importance of proper timing in quality evaluation. These details reveal the complexity of beverage manufacturing compared to the powder supplements he previously formulated.
The manufacturing discussion also touches on line time availability and the limited number of facilities capable of retort coffee production. This scarcity explains why the RTD coffee category has remained relatively underdeveloped despite obvious market opportunities.
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12:00 - Flavor Development: Dessert-Inspired Innovation
Max details the three launch flavors: Café Mocha, Salted Caramel, and Maple Cinnamon Donut, explaining his philosophy of front-end and back-end flavor development that creates complex taste experiences. His background in protein and pre-workout flavor development translates effectively to the RTD coffee category.
The flavor selection represents strategic market positioning. Chocolate (Mocha) provides essential mainstream appeal, while Salted Caramel offers premium dessert positioning. The Maple Cinnamon Donut flavor demonstrates creative risk-taking that differentiates Brew Shockalaka from conservative beverage competitors.
Max acknowledges that Vanilla proved challenging to develop because coffee can overpower vanilla notes, turning them into generic sweet cream flavors. This technical insight reveals the formulation expertise required to create authentic flavor experiences in coffee-based beverages.
The sweetener system combines sucralose and monk fruit to achieve both mainstream appeal and "naturally and artificially flavored" labeling that looks better than purely artificial sweetening. This represents strategic compromise between taste optimization and marketing positioning.
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17:00 - The Science Behind the Buzz: Nootropic Innovation
The conversation dives into Brew Shockalaka's impressive ingredient profile, starting with natural caffeine sourced from Colombian coffee beans rather than synthetic alternatives. The 200mg dose hits the sweet spot for cognitive enhancement while avoiding excessive stimulation.
Max explains the inclusion of theobromine, CognatiQ coffee fruit extract, N-acetyl-L-tyrosine, and L-theanine as creating a sophisticated nootropic experience that goes beyond simple caffeine stimulation. The 100mg theanine dose paired with 200mg caffeine provides the preferred 2:1 ratio for smooth, sustained energy.
The 560mg potassium dose represents a significant electrolyte contribution that addresses a common nutritional shortfall while supporting the functional benefits of the caffeine matrix. Mike emphasizes that this potassium level alone can significantly improve how people feel, especially those with inadequate mineral intake.
The 3 grams of fiber from acacia and agave inulin provides prebiotic benefits while supporting digestive comfort - addressing coffee's common gastrointestinal effects with the tagline "coffee on the go without the go."
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22:00 - Labeling Strategy: Transparency as Differentiation
The discussion reveals Brew Shockalaka's strategic decision to use Nutrition Facts panels rather than supplement facts, providing easier regulatory pathways for food, drug, and mass retail distribution. This approach, inspired by Ghost Energy's fully disclosed labeling, demonstrates competitive intelligence in action.
Max credits Ghost with pioneering both flavor collaborations and transparent labeling in the energy drink category, representing the kind of disruption he wants to achieve in coffee beverages. The goal is to become "the Ghost of coffee" rather than trying to replicate Red Bull's model.
The transparent approach includes disclosing all ingredient sources, manufacturing locations, and even protein percentages - level of openness that builds consumer trust while differentiating from competitors who rely on proprietary blends and vague marketing claims.
Ben's observation about combining naturally and artificially sweetened labeling reveals the marketing sophistication involved in consumer perception management, where technical accuracy supports broader brand positioning.
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26:45 - The Retort Advantage: Manufacturing as Competitive Moat
Chuck explains how retort processing differs from cold-fill pasteurization used in carbonated energy drinks, creating higher barriers to entry but delivering superior product stability. The specialized equipment and expertise required means fewer potential manufacturers and higher switching costs.
The 24-month shelf life provides significant logistics and cash flow advantages for a startup brand. Retailers typically require 9-12 months minimum remaining shelf life, so starting with 24 months allows for extended distribution cycles and reduced inventory risk.
This manufacturing approach eliminates the need for benzoates, sorbates, and other harsh preservatives common in energy drinks, creating a cleaner label that appeals to health-conscious consumers while maintaining product safety and stability.
The discussion reveals how manufacturing process selection can become a competitive advantage, creating products with superior characteristics that are difficult for competitors to replicate quickly.
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32:00 - The Chuck Letchman Effect: Industry Relationships as Assets
Chuck shares the story of his daughters immediately requesting more Brew Shockalaka cans, demonstrating authentic consumer appeal beyond industry networking. This organic adoption by his target demographic provided early validation for the product concept.
The conversation reveals Chuck's systematic approach to market research, including visits to convenience stores across Dallas to examine competitive products and validate Max's claim about the lack of zero-sugar decadent coffee options. This due diligence approach demonstrates serious business evaluation rather than emotional investment decisions.
Chuck's investor network includes successful industry veterans like Scott James (BSN founder) who bring both capital and strategic value through their own business relationships and market access. This represents sophisticated investor relations that go beyond simple funding to include business development support.
The over-subscription of their funding round demonstrates strong investor confidence while creating positive momentum for future growth stages. Chuck's experience managing investor relationships ensures professional capital management and clear communication of business progress and challenges.
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38:45 - Team Dynamics: Swiss Army Knife Approach
Max describes the core team as having complementary skill sets with everyone willing to "roll up their sleeves" for startup success. This includes Austin as creative director plus Mike Gracie as VP of Sales with Monster and C4 experience.
The team chemistry becomes evident in Max's emotional reference to Chuck serving as both business partner and father figure after Max lost his dad in 2017. These personal relationships create stronger commitment and communication than purely transactional business arrangements.
Dan emphasizes the networking power of their combined industry relationships, noting they could probably arrange meetings with major retailers but choose to pace growth appropriately rather than rushing into opportunities they're not ready to support properly.
The collaborative approach extends to flavor development, manufacturing relationships, and investor management, with each team member contributing their strongest capabilities while supporting others' initiatives.
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44:15 - Strategic Pacing: Growth Management Philosophy
Dan explains why pacing business growth is crucial for long-term success, using examples of brands that damaged their national pricing strategies by deploying major retailers incorrectly. The team prioritizes doing things right over doing them quickly.
The conversation reveals sophisticated understanding of omnichannel challenges, especially in how different customer segments and pricing strategies can create conflicts as brands expand from specialty channels to mainstream retail.
Max discusses the capital requirements for supporting major retail partnerships, noting that large purchase orders often come with extended payment terms and significant marketing support obligations that can strain startup cash flows.
The strategic approach involves launching in fitness channels where they have existing relationships, then expanding to regional grocery, national grocery, and finally convenience stores as capacity and capabilities develop.
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50:30 - Target Demographics: Coffee Culture Convergence
Max outlines a dual demographic strategy targeting both younger consumers (18-25) raised on energy drinks who need to learn that "coffee can be cool" and older consumers (35-55) who grew up on coffee but want better-for-you options that provide serious energy.
The brand positioning aims to capture consumers who want to reduce their energy drink consumption or coffee sugar intake while maintaining the flavor experiences and functional benefits they expect. This represents a significant market opportunity at the intersection of multiple beverage categories.
Chuck's daughters' immediate adoption demonstrates appeal to younger female demographics often underserved by aggressive energy drink marketing. The dessert-inspired flavors and zero-sugar positioning appeal to consumers managing weight or blood sugar concerns.
The conversation acknowledges that the center demographic (25-35) may actually become their primary market, but the strategy of capturing younger consumers creates lifetime value opportunities as tastes evolve with age.
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53:45 - Brand Personality: The Deadpool of Coffee
Max describes wanting Brew Shockalaka to be "the Deadpool of coffee" - willing to make fun of themselves and not take everything too seriously while delivering serious functional benefits. This brand personality differentiates them from legacy brands that maintain overly serious corporate identities.
The music and comedy integration shows authentic brand building rather than manufactured marketing personas. Max's background and personal interests in entertainment provide authentic foundation for brand personality that resonates with target consumers.
The "no fizz no fizzle" tagline captures both the non-carbonated positioning and the sustained energy promise that differentiates Brew Shockalaka from traditional energy drinks that can cause energy crashes.
The brand approach includes developing music collaborations and flavor partnerships that extend beyond traditional supplement industry marketing into lifestyle and entertainment connections.
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55:30 - Alcohol Collaborations: Expanding Usage Occasions
Chuck reveals an unexpected usage occasion emerging from early adopters: mixing Brew Shockalaka with vodka to create instant espresso martinis. This discovery opens additional market opportunities in bars, restaurants, and adult beverage pairings.
The alcohol collaboration potential includes partnerships with vodka companies for restaurant promotions and ready-to-drink concepts. Chuck mentions approaches from a major St. Louis vodka company interested in collaboration opportunities.
These usage occasions expand Brew Shockalaka beyond morning energy into evening social situations, potentially reaching consumers who wouldn't consider traditional coffee or energy drinks for alcohol mixing.
The electrolyte content provides potential benefits for alcohol consumption by supporting hydration, though the team is careful about making specific health claims around alcohol use.
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1:00:15 - Strategic Partnerships: Redefine Foods Collaboration
The conversation reveals Chuck's involvement with Redefine Nutrition and their successful expansion into major retailers like CVS, Kroger, Target, and HEB. These relationships provide potential collaboration opportunities and retail access for Brew Shockalaka.
Kyung from Redefine Foods exemplifies the collaborative industry approach Chuck values, actively promoting Brew Shockalaka to HEB buyers during his own meetings despite having no ownership stake in the coffee brand.
The Olympia booth sharing between Brew Shockalaka and Redefine demonstrates cost-effective collaboration that exposes both brands to each other's audiences while reducing trade show expenses.
Ben's enthusiasm for pairing Redefine's PB&J protein foods with Brew Shockalaka coffee creates natural cross-promotional opportunities that benefit both brands' breakfast positioning.
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1:07:15 - Digital Marketing Revolution: TikTok Strategy
Dan provides insights into TikTok's dominance as a discovery engine, sharing statistics showing 62% of TikTok users no longer use Facebook, 42% aren't on Instagram, and 21% aren't on YouTube. This represents a fundamental shift in how consumers discover new products.
The TikTok Shop integration with subscriptions and promotional capabilities is disrupting Amazon's dominance in supplement sales, forcing established brands to adapt their digital strategies or lose market share.
Dan emphasizes that TikTok requires "pro-level" strategy and agency support rather than amateur content creation, comparing successful approaches from brands like Ghost and Optimum Nutrition that work with specialized agencies.
The platform's evolution into a search and information engine means it's not just entertainment but actual commerce infrastructure that brands must understand to remain competitive.
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1:12:00 - International Expansion: Testing Global Waters
Chuck discusses early international interest, including shipments to Australia and inquiries from True North distribution in Canada. Canadian regulations would require reformulation to 140mg caffeine, representing typical international adaptation requirements.
The international approach remains cautious, focusing on testing market reception before committing to country-specific production runs that require significant minimum order quantities.
The conversation reveals how beverage international expansion differs from supplement distribution due to shipping costs, regulatory variations, and local taste preferences that may require formula modifications.
Early international interest validates the product concept while highlighting the complexity of global beverage distribution compared to domestic market development.
Where to Follow and Learn More
- Brew Shockalaka:
- Company Website
- PricePlow.com/brew-shockalaka
- @brewshockalaka on TikTok
- @brewshockalaka on Instagram
- Max Fairchild: LinkedIn
- Chuck Letchman: Facebook
- Daniel Pierce: LinkedIn
- Related Coverage:
Thank you to Max, Chuck, and Dan for sharing the incredible journey behind Brew Shockalaka and demonstrating how industry experience, authentic relationships, and innovative thinking can create genuinely disruptive products. From Max's formulation expertise to Chuck's business wisdom to Dan's digital marketing savvy, this team represents the evolution of supplement industry entrepreneurship into broader beverage innovation.
The success of Brew Shockalaka will depend on execution, but the foundation of industry relationships, product innovation, and strategic thinking positions them for significant impact in the functional beverage space. Their approach to transparency, consumer education, and authentic brand building provides a blueprint for how industry veterans can leverage their expertise to create products that serve real consumer needs.
Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast for more conversations with innovative entrepreneurs and industry veterans building the future of functional nutrition!
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