If you have ever found yourself staring longingly at a jar of chocolate-hazelnut spread at 3:00 PM, wondering if it is socially acceptable to eat it with a spoon at your desk, Australia’s favourite iced coffee brand has heard your silent plea.
Dare has just pulled the curtains back on its latest creation, and the consensus is already forming: it is essentially “Nutella in a can”, but with enough caffeine to power a small suburb.
A Dessert Profile with a Productivity Punch
The new Dare Charged Hazel-Nutty is the limited-edition hero we didn’t know we needed. For years, hazelnut has been the “holy grail” of coffee additives in Australia. It’s that specific, nostalgic flavour that manages to turn a standard espresso into something that tastes like a liquid dessert.
But don’t let the sweet, nutty profile fool you into thinking this is a mellow treat. While it carries that velvety, cocoa-adjacent hazelnut vibe we usually associate with breakfast spreads, it is packing a 200mg caffeine punch. To put that in perspective, that is a serious step up from your standard latte, designed for those days when your brain feels like it’s operating in low-power mode.
Why the Obsession with Hazelnut?
The move to bring hazelnut into the “Charged” range wasn’t just a random experiment. In 2023, Dare brought back their standard Hazelnut Latte after a six-year absence, and the response was nothing short of a frenzy.
“Aussies have told us loud and clear that hazelnut is one of their favourite coffee flavours,” says Patrick Davis, Marketing Manager at Bega Group. “Bringing it into our Charged range was a no-brainer.”
Globally, hazelnut is one of the top-performing coffee profiles because it complements the natural bitterness of 100% Arabica beans without overwhelming them. It provides a smooth, rounded finish that feels more indulgent than a plain iced coffee, yet remains refreshing.
@nectoriouspapi Nutella Latte in a can? #nutella #coffee #latte #caffeine #drink ♬ original sound – @nectoriouspapi
The Red Can Hunt is On
As with all good things, there is a catch. This isn’t a permanent addition to the pantry. The striking red cans of Charged Hazel-Nutty are a limited-edition release. If history is any indication, the “Nutella-esque” flavour profile combined with the high-intensity caffeine hit means these will be flying out of fridge doors.
So if you are a tradie needing a morning jumpstart or an office worker looking to survive the afternoon slump, the appeal of a café-quality hazelnut hit without the queue is hard to argue with. It’s Aussie-owned, Aussie-made, and arguably the most delicious way to ensure you actually finish your to-do list today.
You can find them now across petrol stations, convenience stores, and local grocers, at least until the rest of the country finds out about them.
