Who is this choice for?

Runners who use caffeine selectively

If coffee is part of your pre-training routine, compare caffeine for the amount you will actually drink. A single bottle and a measured portion of concentrate are not interchangeable servings.

Runners avoiding added sugar

A no-added-sugar claim can fit that preference, but check the sugars and carbohydrate lines as well. The drink’s carbohydrate content does not, on its own, settle what to take on a long run.

People choosing around milk, oats or caffeine

Milk-based, oat-based and decaffeinated cold brews offer different choices. Read the ingredients and caffeine information on the particular pack rather than relying on the words “cold brew”.

What should you check before buying?

Start with caffeine per portion, then compare the nutrition panel, ingredients and storage instructions against how you intend to use the drink.

Priority What to check Your needs
Caffeine Compare caffeine per bottle or calculate it from the labelled amount per 100 ml and your measured serving. Sainsbury’s lists 41 mg per 250 ml Rodd’s bottle; Tesco lists an average 59 mg per 100 ml for Hunt and Brew, about 195 mg per 330 ml bottle. World Athletics advises testing an individual caffeine routine in training before competition. I want to know how much caffeine I am taking, not just whether the drink contains coffee. If I am avoiding caffeine, I would look for a decaffeinated option.
Sugars and carbohydrate Read the claim alongside the sugars and carbohydrate lines. Sainsbury’s lists 7 g carbohydrate and 4.8 g sugars per 100 ml for Rodd’s Original Latte; its 250 ml bottle therefore contains 17.5 g carbohydrate. No added sugar matters to me, but I do not want to mistake it for no sugar or assume the drink covers my long-run fuelling. I would plan food and fluids for the session separately.
Ingredients Check the full ingredient list: Tesco lists whole milk in Hunt and Brew, while Sainsbury’s describes Rodd’s as oat-and-coconut based and Nolo as oat-based. Check the exact variant before buying. I need the drink to fit my milk or plant-ingredient preferences, regardless of its no-added-sugar claim.
Format and storage Distinguish a ready-to-drink bottle from a concentrate that needs measuring. Follow the pack’s chilled-storage and after-opening instructions; they differ between products. For a drink taken to training, I want to know whether it needs refrigeration and whether the portion is already measured.

Common buying mistakes

  • Treating cold brew as a complete long-run fuel

    A no-added-sugar coffee may contain carbohydrate, but its bottle size and nutrition panel do not establish a complete fuelling plan. The UK Sports Institute emphasises sufficient energy availability in sports nutrition.

    Choose the coffee for its ingredients and caffeine; plan the food and drink needed for your training session separately.

  • Assuming every cold brew has a similar caffeine dose

    Sainsbury’s lists 41 mg in a Rodd’s bottle, whereas Tesco’s average caffeine figure for Hunt and Brew works out at about 195 mg in its 330 ml bottle. Tesco lists Solo concentrate at 159 mg per 100 ml, making the poured amount particularly important.

    Compare the amount you intend to drink, and try your chosen caffeine routine during training before relying on it for a race.

  • Reading “no added sugar” as “no sugar”

    Products carrying a no-added-sugar claim can still list sugars and carbohydrate, including those from milk or plant-based ingredients.

    Check both the ingredients and the nutrition panel if either total sugars or carbohydrate affects your choice.

  • Pouring concentrate like a single-serve drink

    Tesco lists Solo at 159 mg caffeine per 100 ml. An unmeasured pour makes the caffeine amount harder to compare with a labelled bottle.

    Measure the concentrate and follow its preparation directions rather than assuming the full container is one serving.

Brand references

Hunt and Brew

Tesco lists a Huila Colombia 330 ml cold brew made with whole milk and labelled no sugar added.

  • Tesco gives an average caffeine content of 59 mg per 100 ml, equivalent to about 195 mg per bottle.
  • It contains milk and needs refrigeration; the pack’s caffeine warning and storage directions matter when deciding whether to use it.

Rodd’s

Sainsbury’s lists the 250 ml Original Latte as a no-added-sugar cold brew with an oat-and-coconut base.

  • Its listing states 41 mg caffeine per bottle and 7 g carbohydrate per 100 ml.
  • No added sugar does not mean no sugars: the listing gives 4.8 g sugars per 100 ml. Check the oat and coconut ingredients against your needs.

Nolo

Sainsbury’s lists Classic Cold Brew Oat Latte as decaffeinated and labelled no added sugar or sweeteners.

  • The 250 ml can’s nutrition panel lists 8.5 g carbohydrate and 6.8 g fibre.
  • It contains oat; its no-added-sugar claim should not be mistaken for a carbohydrate-free drink.

Solo

Tesco lists a 500 ml cold-brew coffee concentrate for preparing a drink to your chosen serving size.

  • The listing describes it as sugar-free and milk-free.
  • Tesco lists 159 mg caffeine per 100 ml, so measure the amount poured rather than treating the carton as a single serving.

Sandows

Sandows describes itself as a London cold-brew coffee maker.

  • A Coffee Friend UK listing describes a Sandows ready-to-drink cold brew as sugar-free and dairy-free.
  • Check the exact pack’s ingredients, nutrition and caffeine information before choosing it for a training routine.

Joybuy coffee option

This portioned coffee liquid is intended for cold-water preparation rather than sold as a ready-to-drink bottle. If you specifically want cold-brewed coffee with no added sugar, check its preparation method and ingredient claim as well as its listed sugars.

J.ZAO Extra-Strong Americano Coffee Liquid, ten 25 ml pouches

J.ZAO Extra-Strong Americano Coffee Liquid, 25 ml × 10 pouches

The individual pouches allow you to measure coffee liquid for a cold-water drink. The nutrition panel lists 0 g sugars and 4.9 g carbohydrate per 100 ml; check its serving basis when comparing it with a prepared drink. The product wording also describes it as instant-soluble, so confirm the preparation method if cold-brewed coffee is important to you. Check caffeine per pouch or prepared serving before using it in a pre-run routine, and plan any training fuel separately.

View on Joybuy

Questions about cold brew and training

Does “no added sugar” mean no sugar or carbohydrate?

No. Check the nutrition panel as well as the claim. Sainsbury’s lists 4.8 g sugars and 7 g carbohydrate per 100 ml for Rodd’s Original Latte, which is described as having no added sugar.

Can no-added-sugar cold brew replace marathon fuel?

Do not use the coffee alone as your fuelling plan. For context, Sainsbury’s lists 8.5 g carbohydrate in a 250 ml Nolo can and 17.5 g in a 250 ml Rodd’s bottle; the UK Sports Institute emphasises sufficient energy availability when planning sports nutrition. Decide what food and drink your session calls for separately from your coffee choice.

How can I compare caffeine between cold brews?

Compare caffeine for the portion you will consume. Sainsbury’s lists 41 mg per Rodd’s bottle; Tesco lists an average 59 mg per 100 ml for Hunt and Brew, or about 195 mg per 330 ml bottle, and 159 mg per 100 ml for Solo concentrate. World Athletics advises testing an individual caffeine routine in training before competition.

How should I store cold brew around training?

Follow the instructions for the exact product. The supplied Sainsbury’s product information says to keep Rodd’s chilled and consume it within three days of opening; Nolo’s stated storage range is +2°C to +25°C before opening, followed by refrigeration and consumption within 24 hours. Tesco’s Hunt and Brew listing calls for refrigeration and consumption within three days of opening.