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Passengers on Alaska Airlines have received Starbucks coffee in their cups for more than ten years now. However, the airlines is now introducing a new, specially formulated coffee mix on its flights, that has been created to taste better in the air.
According to a recent press release, the airline announced on Tuesday, October 10, that it has partnered with Stumptown Coffee Roasters, which is based in Portland, Oregon. The brand has already modified its famous Holler Mountain blend to present a fresh new brew that will only be offered on Alaska and its regional carrier Horizon Air flights from December 1, 2023.
Addressing this new partnership, as per the New York Post, the Alaska Airlines stated:
“We are always looking for ways to bring new in-flight food and beverage offerings to our guests. We take great pride in partnering with small businesses along the West Coast and are thrilled to welcome Stumptown Coffee to our portfolio of regional food and beverage partners.”
On the other hand, Ben Minicucci, the CEO of Alaska Airlines, said in a press release that:
“Having flown millions of miles fueled by countless cups of coffee, Stumptown stands out as first class. Like travel, coffee has a remarkable way of bringing people together. I can’t wait for our guests and employees to enjoy a cup of Stumptown when they fly with us.”
Alaska Airlines's new coffee blend is designed to taste good in the air
Alaska Airlines further explained in the news statement that the Stumptown mix has been specifically created to be sipped at high altitude, where taste receptors respond differently than on the ground.
According to the airline, the blend has the same basis as Stumptown's Holler Mountain but focuses primarily on a roast that softens acidity and adds just the right amount of toastiness to appeal to a variety of palates. Laura Szeliga, the Stumptown president, said in the press release,
“We wanted a crowd pleaser . . . something that would delight folks who enjoy milder coffees and also speak to guests who enjoy medium-bodied roasts.”
The same press release from Alaska Airlines shared that people's taste buds respond to altitude differently and cause food and beverages to not taste the same as they do on the ground. Thus, the brand created this unique coffee blend that guarantees a well-balanced, complex flavor profile and can produce an incredibly smooth and delightful cup for the passengers. This is exactly why the airlines chose Stumptown.
Additionally, the airlines told CNN that they thoroughly tested the coffee's flavor both on the ground and in the air with the Alaska team after choosing it, in order to understand how different it would taste. Additionally, they also made sure that their roasted coffee worked with all brewing systems on Alaskan airplanes.
More details about the new blend of coffee
According to their official website, starting from October 11, 2023, the Alaska Lounges at PDX and JFK airports have already started to serve the Stumptown specialty blends, which are the Holler Mountain, the Hair Bender, and the Trapper Creek Decaf.
Additionally, as per CNN, in order to ensure that customers enjoy the new blend, Stumptown claimed that it had tested 20 different factors, including how it would pair with Alaska's in-flight Biscoff cookie. It also claimed to have brewed more than 200 pots of coffee for testing both in-flight and on the ground.
