If the past few months have been any indication, we’d say life has shifted how consumers enjoy their coffee and tea. In our last quarterly report, we also noted an uptick in mocktails, single origin coffee, and gourmet blends.
What’s the outlook for coffee and tea trends for the rest of 2021? Here’s a closer look at some of the top five beverage trends we’ve seen firsthand at Royal Cup:
Immunity as a Drink
So far in 2021, we’ve noticed an uptick in wellness-focused beverages — drinks with ingredients like Vitamin C and echinacea that support vitality and immunity. Specifically, Upouria’s gourmet Immune Function Syrup makes it easy to add a dose of health and wellness to any beverage. Just a few pumps to a glass of iced tea and you have a drink that makes you feel good while you sip.
The More Unique, The Better
Unique drink combinations are having a moment. It’s not just about experimenting with specific flavors, but also combining different tastes (think sweet and salty, sweet and sour, etc.). In fact, a recent survey found that 53% of consumers would be interested in trying a sweet and salty beverage. We recommend flavoring our Cold Brew with Upouria’s Salted Vanilla Syrup, which combines the brand’s salted vanilla syrup with a serving of cold brew coffee (link).
Classic Flavors for Nostalgic Drinks
Perhaps the pandemic has many consumers thinking of happier times, even if they have to take a trip down memory lane. This would certainly explain the sudden interest in some tried and true flavor favorites like butter pecan. Classic combinations elicit feelings of comfort and familiarity, something that the last 18 months or so have severely lacked. To bring the butter pecan flavor to your favorite brew, grab a bottle of butter pecan syrup and stir into a piping hot cup of coffee.
Hot AND Cold: Some Like it Hot, Some Like it Iced!
Coffee consumption in general has increased 10% in the last year. When zooming in to see whether hot coffee or cold coffee is responsible for the increase, the results are about neck in neck. But the way both are consumed can vary. For example, cold coffee lovers are adding coffee flavors to cold treats like milkshakes and ice creams. On the hot coffee spectrum, consumers are increasingly interested in getting more variety in flavors. This idea is underscored by a 27% growth in turmeric over the last three years and a 23% growth in cinnamon in the last year. Our advice: try a Golden Latte for a flavor-packed drink, which includes coffee, milk, turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger. Bonus points: the Golden Latte also checks the box of being a wellness-focused drink, thanks to immunity-friendly herbs and spices!
Spill the Tea (But Don’t Waste It!)
Tea consumption bested both cold and hot coffees in terms of growth, reaching a 15% increase in the past year. Just like coffee, consumers are taking an interest in wellness-focused teas and embracing the inherent health benefits that tea offers. Popular blends include sleep and stress relief, Limoncello Chamomile, metabolism support, Wild Mint, and antioxidant-rich options, Cranberry Hibiscus.
Ready to bring these beverage trends into your business? Reach out to Royal Cup today for pricing and availability.
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Data Sources: Mintel, NPD, NCDT, Dataessential
