As RealBeanz Director of Public Relations and Social Media Jenna Burke told me in last month’s Up Close With story, it can be hard for consumers to experience a product and develop a relationship with a brand if the main connection with a brand is through social media and advertising. Instead, it’s the face-to-face encounters with a brand at events that really help consumers become fans, she said.

From the heart of Brooklyn, N.Y., the home of Coney Island and the Brooklyn Bridge, comes RealBeanz, a ready-to-drink gourmet iced coffee company brimming with New York pride. The self-described “up-and-coming” brand plays off of the classic, artsy Brooklyn vibe to showcase its borough spirit and connect with its “kind of young, kind of hip, and kind of fresh” consumers in the 18- to 35-year-old demographic group, says Jenna Burke, director of public relations and social media for RealBeanz.

RealBeanz expanded its line of nutrient-enhanced ready-to-drink coffees with the launch of Dark Roast Iced Coffee made with Coconut Water and Cappuccino Iced Coffee made with Coconut Water.

RealBeanz launched its line of iced coffees on a limited basis earlier this year. After receiving feedback from focus groups, RealBeanz altered its flavor, coffee and sweetness profiles, and as a result, improved approval ratings from the 60 to 70 percent range to the 80 to 90 percent approval range, the company says.