How The Nitro Bar Went from a Coffee Cart to a Famous Coffee Shop
In honor of National Coffee Day, here’s a Rhode Island success story that shows how smart marketing can transform a business.
In 2016, founders Audrey Finocchiaro and Sam Lancaster built a $1,500 coffee cart in Audrey’s parents’ basement and took it to events all over the state. When winter meant the cart couldn’t continue, they pivoted, partnering with local restaurants, breweries and farm stands to get their nitro cold brew on tap. Today, their Nitro is served in 50+ locations across Rhode Island and Massachusetts and has become a regional staple.
By 2018, the Nitro Bar opened its first brick-and-mortar location (aka a physical business and a great industry term to impress your judge with!) inside Dash Bicycle Shop. Now they have two shops in the coastal town of Newport and one in Providence, with lines out the door! Fans across the country are begging for locations beyond Rhode Island and planning trips to Rhode Island just to try it.
The Secret Ingredient: Marketing and Social Media
While many other coffee shops can replicate The Nitro Bar’s drinks, it’s their marketing strategy that has set them apart and turned them into a global sensation. Understanding that social media is the best way to impress consumers, they built a brand around content that makes people want to try their drinks just based on what they see.
Here are some ways their marketing has transformed their business:
- Enticing drink videos: Audrey films herself crafting aesthetic drinks, creating shareable, visually irresistible content.
- Interactive employee features: Fun posts like “What’s the weirdest drink order you’ve gotten recently?” and making it while she tries it sparks comments, shares and debate.
- Creative flavors: Drinks like the “Chocolate Caramelized Banana Latte” gain traction quickly worldwide.
- Consistent branding: Their merchandise, packaging, signage and social media stay cohesive and instantly recognizable.
- Sharing their Success Story: They inspire viewers with their success story while simultaneously making one of their drinks. AND this video is a partnership with AT&T…could this be any more creative?
As a Rhode Island native, I feel lucky to be just a drive away from The Nitro Bar! As someone who loves coffee and great marketing, their social media immediately caught my attention and has made me a fan.
Here are some key Marketing Takeaways for DECA Members
- Create fun content: Make your product visually exciting to spark curiosity and demand.
- Engage your team: Feature the people behind your product! Ask them fun questions and highlight their personalities.
- Be creative and unique: Seasonal or exclusive items generate urgency and repeat purchases.
- Stay consistent: Align visuals, packaging and messaging so your brand is instantly recognizable.
- Build community, not just customers: Celebrate your customers and collaborators on social media so followers feel like insiders and honestly care for your business.
