OtterBox goes after Yeti in cooler market

A Yeti — if one exists — may be able to squash an otter in the wild. But in business, the two are going head to head for dominance.

OtterBox, the Fort Collins-based manufacturer of protective smartphone and tablet cases, is going back to its roots as a drybox maker and taking dead aim at Yeti, a rapidly growing manufacturer of outdoor products including coolers that sell for $200 or more.

Otter is launching Venture, its own line of similarly priced, rugged coolers that can keep bears out of your food, cool your beer for up to two weeks, and be customized with cup holders, cutting boards, side tables and drybox clips.

"Being outdoors is about having fun, not worrying if you're doing it the way the pros do or following a set of unwritten rules," said OtterBox founder Curt Richardson in a written statement. 

"I started OtterBox in 1998 as an outdoor brand and we're refocusing our efforts here in a big way. Our new coolers deliver on the OtterBox commitment to innovation, quality and our customers." 

That doesn't mean OtterBox is stepping away from its bread-and-butter phone cases.

"We expect that will continue to be a majority of our business for a long time," said spokeswoman Kristen Tatti. "But in our heart we are still an outdoor brand. The smartphone market has matured and we want to continue to always be growing. We are going into the outdoor market and coolers is just the start." 

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OtterBox had veered away from its outdoor roots as the smartphone and tablet markets exploded and Richardson stepped away from Otter's daily operations. 

He returned as chief innovation officer last year. The company has since relaunched its dryboxes and now coolers and tumblers, both of which come in three sizes and three colors.

The Venture coolers are being manufactured in Detroit. 

The Venture 25, priced at about $250, has 25 quarts of internal capacity.  The company is also launching the larger Venture 45 and Venture 65, which are all designed and manufactured in the U.S. 

A press release states the coolers have superior cooling technology that can hold ice for up to 14 days. 

The tumblers, Elevation 20, sell for $29.99 and are customizable. Add the shaker lid for a cocktail, the french press lid for a cup of coffee, a water infuser lid to steep tea or add fruit to water, or seal in soup with the thermal lid. 

The Elevation 10 that's short and stout sells for $24.99. The larger Elevation 64 sells for $89.99. 

The coolers and tumblers will be on the market in early June through otterbox.com or at Best Buy. Additional retailers will be added in summer.

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