While browsing the Shaws supermarket in Madison CT yesterday I discovered the ultimate branding stretch. How on earth does anyone equate Elvis Presley with coffee? To my surprise, there’s a whole lineup of Elvis branded coffee - complete with a seal of authenticity on the back.

I probably would not have bought any of the coffee, except that it was 50% off and, frankly, how often do you see a sign that say’s ‘Elvis Coffee All Varieties”?

When I got back home I looked online. Sure enough there is an entire line of coffee with the Elvis Presley brand offered up at http://www.elviscoffee.com! The price? $16 per pound (sold in half pound bags). Shaw’s had these marked down to $ 4 per 1/2 pound from $8.

The varieties advertised include one that I bought and which appears to be the perfect Mother’s Day Gift - Thats Alright Mama:

There are several other brands/flavors - including:

Love Me Tender - 2007 Christmas Easy Roast
Santa Baby - 2007 Christmas Smooth Roast
Blue Christmas - 2007 Christmas Bold Roast
Silent Night - 2007 Christmas Decaf Smooth Roast

30th Anniversary Blends:

The 50’s Blend - Bold
The 60’s Blend - Smooth
The 70’s Blend - Mellow

Elvis Is - 2007:

Elvis is Mellow
Elvis is Smooth
Elvis is Bold
Elvis is Sweet
Elvis is Bloated, Sweating and Overweight
(this one is my attempt at a joke)

Signature Blends:

All Shook Up - Smooth roast from South America
Jailhouse Rock - Smooth blend from Central America
Elvis Decaf House Blend - Smooth Decaf
Elvis House Blend - Three Country Blend

So what’s the link between Elvis and Coffee?

From what I can see it’s a marriage of marketing convenience. Here’s the writeup from the Elviscoffee.com site:

Elvis will forever be known as the King of Rock and Roll. Few men have had such an impact on generations. Elvis’ popularity grew from more than just his talent. His success was in large part due to who he was as a man more than a superstar.

It is said that in his lifetime Elvis gave away something like 200 Cadillacs. He gave them to friends, fans, or anyone that just needed a car. His generosity knew no bounds, especially around Christmas time. It was this generosity coupled with his charisma and charm that made Elvis unforgettable.

Ugly Mug Coffee® carries on Elvis’ same legacy by giving back to those that give to us and reaching out to those that need it the most, while at the same time giving the highest quality performance in the industry. It is in this spirit that Ugly Mug Coffee has created Elvis coffee, four limited edition Christmas blends, in honor of Elvis’ favorite holiday, made with the best beans and freshly roasted to brew the best cup of coffee.

Somehow I was a little disappointed to see that Elvis wasn’t roasting his own beans in the basement or having his “Memphis Mafia” over for espresso or latte.

The Elvis Coffee is an extension of the Ugly Mug coffee line - headquartered in Memphis TN.

I found Elvis’s signature coffee blend to be a tad on the expensive side. By comparison, Starbuck’s typical coffee is priced at about half the regular price of Elvis’s blend. I found House Blend by Starbucks online (not on sale) for a regular price of $10 /lb - or $ 5 per half pound.

If you live within driving distance of Shaw’s and you’re a true Elvis fan, you may want to consider “rounding out” your memorabilia collection with a few pounds of The King’s favorite blends.

PS. If you’re not into coffee, but you love Elvis, you’ll be delighted to know there is a new line of Elvis Hot Chocolate!

Link: http://www.elvisCoffee.com