Robert Downey Jr. is perhaps best known as an actor, but he’s adding entrepreneur to his résumé too.
The Oppenheimer star has teamed up with Craig Dubitsky (behind brands like Method Products and Eos) to launch Happy, a new line of coffee, The Hollywood Reporter reported on Tuesday. The brand offers instant coffee, pods, whole beans, and grounds, and launched with 100 percent arabica coffee in light, medium, and dark roasts.
“Coffee is a perfect substance. It is magical, consistent, and legal,” Downey Jr. told The Hollywood Reporter. “It was my mom’s beverage of choice, and I followed in her footsteps. I associate coffee with family, fellowship, going the extra mile, and une raison d’être.”
Happy is focused on responsibly grown and sustainably sourced coffee, with the company working with farmers in Central and South America, including those certified by the Rainforest Alliance, as well as the world’s largest vertically integrated coffee roaster, according to The Hollywood Reporter. If you want to go deep on the source of your beans, a code on the package can be entered into the brand’s website so you can see who grew, harvested, and roasted your coffee.
As far as flavor goes, Happy is billing its brews with both literal and figurative attributes. The Extraordinary light roast, for example, tastes of “toasted biscotti and levity,” while the Magnificent medium roast contains hints of “berries and optimism.” The darker roasts, meanwhile, feature “sweet molasses and bliss” or “cacao and cheer,” among other combos. It’s a light-hearted take on a world that can sometimes seem unwelcoming to newcomers.
“Existing brands have focused on geography, energy, or tradition, and newer brands seem to focus on esoteric niches,” the company said. “Coffee is supposed to simply be something delicious we love and enjoy.”
Beyond the beans themselves, Happy is partnering with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the largest grassroots mental-health organization in the United States. Like Downey Jr.’s statement, that may be a nod to his past issues with addiction, which the actor has been open about in the past. In a rare move, Happy has given NAMI an equity stake in the company.
Many people do credit their morning cup of joe with making them a better person throughout the day. Happy, then, is hoping to solidify that idea.
