It just got a whole lot easier to have a little Rip Wheeler in your life! On Wednesday, September 17, Cole Hauser’s coffee brand, Free Rein Coffee Company, hit Walmart shelves, both in stores and online. The first retail partnership, this collaboration marks a major milestone for the slow-roasted, small-batch, Western-inspired coffee brand.
“Through this partnership with Walmart, we’re going to get our great coffee into the hands of the hard working folks who make our country go,” Cole said in a release. “This has always been my mission: to serve and uplift those who serve their country and communities in any way I can.”
To celebrate the Free Rein x Walmart partnership, Country Living sat down with Cole to reflect on the brand’s first year in business and how his life has unfolded since then.
“The people love the coffee,” Cole says, reminiscing on how well-received Free Rein has been. “They’re not buying it just because of the packaging or me—they’re buying it because they love the taste; the flavor is great.”
And now, thanks to partnering with Walmart, the small company’s big flavor can land in the mugs of an even broader audience, enabling even more giveback opportunities in the process.
“I’m excited to be in the biggest retailer here in America and that we’re spreading our coffee but also the good word of our ethos as a company,” Cole says. “What’s important for me is that, as Free Rein grows as a company, we continue to help first responders, veterans, and people that matter in our communities, and continue to spread the good word. It gives me opportunities to go to these different stores and to continue to do what I love to do: to talk about our veterans in this country and make sure they’re taken care of, and also our teachers in our community, and us as Americans taking care of each other a little bit more.”Hoping to catch a Rip sighting at your local Walmart? While specific Free Rein tour stops aren’t currently scheduled, Cole says they’re not off the table. “I would be happy to do that—I’m one of those old-school, grassroots, pull up and meet the people and get them interested [types],” he reveals. “It’s great to have one-on-one personal experiences, so if we can do some of that at Walmarts across the country, I’m in. Let’s do it.”
Meanwhile, Cole’s life outside of brewing has been a hint bittersweet. After all, everyone’s favorite Western drama is officially coming to a close, with Yellowstone Season 5, Part 2 premiering on Sunday, November 10.
“I finished another season of Yellowstone,” Cole reveals, noting that wrapping up a series isn’t an easy thing to do. “Taylor did a great job at accomplishing it. There’s a lot going on and I think the audience will hopefully like that.”
As for whether or not we can expect more of him (and his character Rip) in the Yellowstone universe, Cole remains unsure. “The Madison is Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell—that’s totally separate—and there’s really no final, you know, decision from anyone yet, so I don’t really know,” he admits. “We shall see.”
Another thing Cole shall see? His family and the world. Now that Yellowstone filming has wrapped, the 49-year-old actor is looking forward to traveling with his wife and kids. “We’ve got some cool stuff [coming up]—there’s stuff for Free Rein, there’s stuff for Lazy K Bar (which is my bourbon), there’s press for Yellowstone in New York, and then I think I’m going to take some time with just my family and go and travel. Over the holidays, hopefully we’ll hit Europe and get some time together because it’s been a busy year—it’s been a great year, but it’s been a busy one—so I need to slow down and spend some time with my boys and my wife and my daughter.”