Esspo launches 12-oz canned espresso sodas with 120mg caffeine, 240mg L-Theanine

Esspo launched in late February 2026 with a carbonated, shelf-stable 12-oz espresso soda positioned to tap functional energy and dirty soda momentum; co-founders Phillippe von Borries, Katharine Leitch, and Justin Stefano rolled out the product as a new ready-to-drink espresso tonic aimed at afternoon pick-me-ups. The brand frames the drink to “sip like a soda” and “caffeinate like a cold brew,” pitching a direct challenge to the stale shelf category von Borries says lacked fun and innovation.

Each 12-oz can contains 120 mg of caffeine and 240 mg of L-Theanine and clocks in at around 45 calories, with the formulation built from real espresso or cold brew extract plus functional ingredients. Esspo shipped three initial flavors: Cherry Vanilla, Classic Vanilla, and Sweet Lemon. Packaging and merchandising detail includes a Variety Pack (12 cans) priced at $44.00 that contains four cans each of Classic Vanilla, Sweet Lemon and Cherry Vanilla, and Coolhunting’s listing shows the product is sold by Esspo for direct purchase.

The founders bring media backgrounds into CPG strategy; von Borries framed the move as a brand-first play, saying, “We’ve always been brand first people. Even in media. That’s always been a core motivation and a core orientation. The interesting thing about CPG is that while the product has to be amazing, so much of it is in the storytelling and how you get people to be excited about your product. So we saw a big miss in coffee, it’s kind of a brown, stale, forgettable shelf. No fun. No innovation.” Von Borries also recounted the personal spark behind the idea: “The gap found me before I found it. I remember the exact moment I tried my first espresso tonic, light, bubbly, cold, caffeinated, and felt something click into place I didn’t know was missing.”

Industry observers and peers reacted quickly to the launch, noting the team’s media pedigree and the product’s place at the intersection of coffee culture, functional energy, and dirty soda-style drinks. Blake Mitchell wrote that Esspo “sits right at the intersection of three fast-moving trends” and flagged the founders’ backgrounds with Refinery29 and Lonely Planet as an advantage; that post shows engagement noted as 149 and 35 Comments. Commenters ranged from Lucie Fritz asking what early retail signals to watch to Edricco Reina saying the blend of coffee culture and functional energy will resonate in retail, and von Borries replied directly, “Blake! Coming from someone behind some of the best brands in the industry, this means more than you know. Can't wait for more people to try it. THANK YOU!!!”

Availability beyond direct sales has been signaled as an “upcoming retail launch” but no national retail partners, per-can retail pricing, company headquarters, full ingredient lists, manufacturing details, or a complete nutrition facts panel were disclosed in the launch excerpts. As Esspo moves toward retail, the immediate metrics to watch are whether the 120 mg caffeine and 240 mg L-Theanine pairing, three-flavor lineup, and $44 12-pack price point convert curiosity into repeat purchases on shelves.