4 Coffee Trends That Continue to Delight
Coffee is a universal pick-me-up. While the hot beverage may always remain an early morning ritual, the iced-coffee trend is growing as consumers look for healthier alternatives to carbonated soft drinks. The ready to drink (RTD) market provides a spectrum of choices in flavor, caffeine quantity, and added functionality through iced beverages.
Plant-Based Formulations
As consumers continue to trend toward healthy lifestyles, plant-based creamers and RTD coffees are gaining popularity. Brands that want to claim their coffee is dairy-free are using almond, coconut, oat, and soymilk—soy, for instance, brings out the flavor of coffee thanks to its smooth and creamy quality. Consumers with a healthy lifestyle gravitate towards these alternatives.
Innovations in Flavor
While consumers want dairy-free alternatives, young consumers still enjoy added flavor. Creamer producers are adding vanilla, pumpkin spice, or cinnamon flavors to their products. Iced coffee manufacturers are adding plant ingredients such as figs, chicory, or caramel. Sparkling coffee is a carbonated cold beverage that is triple filtered, free of milk, and mixed with natural fruit flavors such as strawberry, lime, or ginger.
Continued Interest in Functional Beverages
Companies understand that consumers want drinks that are good for them, such as iced or cold beverages that contain a source of calcium, vitamins, and minerals. Consumers want to improve their health and will reach for the drinks that appeal to their lifestyle.
People know about the potential psychological and physiological benefits delivered by certain spices and add-ons. They seek out turmeric, cayenne pepper, cardamom, and other potent ingredients, such as MCT oil—a fat found in coconut oil that is easily digested and converts into ketones to become a primary fuel source for the brain. As healthy people learn more about functional products, they will purchase beverages that promote these benefits.
Latest Social Media Trends
As consumers stayed at home this year, instant coffee trends exploded on social media. The Dalgona craze introduced whipped coffee on ice, and today, restaurants are adding the drink to their menus and receiving enthusiastic reviews. Coffee pastes are another innovation added over milk to provide a creamy, frothy, and foamy texture for iced beverages.
Companies that focus on new iced innovations will continue to entice young consumers as well as those who have enjoyed the beverage for decades.