Founders of Black-Owned Coffee Brand Secure Licensing Deal to Use ‘Wakanda Forever’ on Their Packaging

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Rod Johnson and Parnell Cezar, the founders of Blk & Bold, the first Black-owned nationally distributed coffee brand in the U.S., have collaborated with Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to create a coffee collection featuring the film characters in its packaging. They say that they are proud of the historic licensing deal that they were able to secure with what is expected to be the biggest movie release of the year.

Blk & Bold is now available in more than 7,000 retail locations. With their licensing deal with Marvel, they have released two new coffee flavors, “Rise & Grnd” and “Smoove Operator”. Both are being sold with Wakanda Forever-themed packaging. It features the film’s characters including Shuri, Okoye, Nakia, and M’Baku.

Johnson, who is a co-founder of Blk & Bold, said that he has been a fan of Black Panther since its first film. Their collaboration has been exciting for them as they believe there is a natural connection between the values of their company and the Black Panther films.

“I’m just excited that consumers and fans of our respective entities get a chance to celebrate. I know how the first film made me feel and how represented I felt,” Johnson said, according to Des Moines Register. “It was a double dose of feeling seen. I felt very represented in the movie in a very positive and representative way and then I felt seen again… when Marvel and I were able to align on some very similar values.”

Cezar, who is a co-founder of Blk & Bold, also described the deal as “partnering with businesses that get it right.”

For more information about Blk & Bold, visit BlkAndBold.com