KSHB 41 reporter Grant Stephens covers downtown Kansas City, Missouri. He also focuses on stories of consumer interest. Share your story idea with Grant.
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About nine months before the FIFA World Cup 2026, Parisi Coffee started planning a souvenir coffee blend and packaging to celebrate Kansas City's turn on the world stage.
The first batch vanished in just two weeks after it went live last month, far faster and earlier than the company had projected.
Tonya Mangels, vice president of marketing at Parisi Coffee, said the rapid sell-out signals something bigger.
"So that tells me we hit on something, we hit on a chord that people really are excited for [the] World Cup, and there is energy brewing for that," Mangels said.
While many business owners say they are still waiting for World Cup business to materialize, Parisi didn't have to wait. The sell-out is a case study in Kansas City's appetite for themed products — and potentially a predictor of what other businesses can start expecting.
Parisi has since restocked the blend, bringing it back to cafés, grocery stores and the airport.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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