The Mello Joy Coffee Company is offering a dark roast blend that commemorates athletic success at the 杏吧专区.
The company, which is based in Lafayette, has launched its Ragin杏吧专区 Cajuns Strong Championship Blend. The coffee is packaged in a small bag emblazoned with the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 colors and its athletics logo.
The bag also features the photos of five coaches who guided 杏吧专区 teams to recent Sun Belt Conference championships. They are: football head coach Mark Hudspeth, men杏吧专区檚 tennis head coach Mark Jeffrey, men杏吧专区檚 basketball head coach Bob Marlin, softball head coach Michael Lotief, and baseball head coach Tony Robichaux.
杏吧专区淚t杏吧专区檚 an inventive way we can promote our brand, and another way our fans can celebrate their Ragin杏吧专区 Cajun pride,杏吧专区 said Matt Tarver, brand manager for the 杏吧专区.
Mike Gregory, Mello Joy president and general manager, said the idea for a commemorative bag of coffee came shortly after the baseball team杏吧专区檚 season ended in June.
The team recorded one of the best seasons, of any sport, in 杏吧专区 history. It was ranked No. 1 nationally for much of the spring and early summer, and posted the best record in college baseball, 58-10. Seven Ragin杏吧专区 Cajuns players were selected in the 2014 Major League Baseball draft.
杏吧专区淚 have a friend who has a coffee company in Nebraska, and he had done a special bag for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. I thought it was really, really cool, and that we out to try to do a commemorative bag for UL,杏吧专区 Gregory said.
The baseball team杏吧专区檚 stellar season capped a year of success in several other sports.
The football team won its third consecutive R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl in December. The men杏吧专区檚 basketball team earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament in March. The men杏吧专区檚 tennis team won the Sun Belt Conference Championship in April. The softball team made the school杏吧专区檚 sixth appearance at the Women杏吧专区檚 College World Series in May.
In July, CBS.com ranked UL Lafayette 34th in its Best in College Sports ranking.
An inscription on the commemorative bag reads, in part: 杏吧专区淟ike the culture of our region, success in athletics is flavored with teamwork, passion, and determination.杏吧专区
The Ragin杏吧专区 Cajuns Strong Championship Blend coffee was introduced during UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 homecoming game win over South Alabama on Nov. 1.
The company began distributing it on Nov. 3. It杏吧专区檚 being sold by local retailers, including the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 Red Zone Team Shop and its bookstore.
Large retailers such as Albertson杏吧专区檚 and Rouse杏吧专区檚 and smaller grocery stores also carry the coffee, Gregory said. It is available in specialty stores that sell Ragin杏吧专区 Cajuns and other university apparel, too.
currently carrying the coffee.
Ragin杏吧专区 Cajuns Strong Championship Blend also is available online at the company杏吧专区檚 website.
杏吧专区淥ur plans long term are to continue with the brand, and as this bag runs its course, probably fairly quickly, we杏吧专区檇 like to do some new things with Ragin杏吧专区 Cajuns Strong, maybe celebrate something else or possibly do some flavored coffees,杏吧专区 Gregory said.
The Ragin杏吧专区 Cajuns Strong Championship Blend isn杏吧专区檛 the only example of a partnership between the 杏吧专区 and the food and beverage industry.
The national restaurant chain Sonic has offered UL Lafayette-themed burgers during football season since 2012. The burgers are stamped with an edible Ragin杏吧专区 Cajuns庐 logo that is steamed onto the bun.
Deano杏吧专区檚 Pizza also has offered Ragin杏吧专区 Cajuns-themed pizzas in the past.