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The beverage scene has seen a major shift in recent years. Consumers are increasingly conscious about their health, that is why different teas are becoming more and more popular. Cold drinks like iced teas and cordials are very popular now, particularly in the summer months. Coffee have seen a huge change due to consumer’s demand for higher quality coffee beverages.
The New Coffee Scene
Speciality coffee is becoming more trendy, people are looking for delicious and unique blends of coffee to enjoy. Stephen from Hasbean, explains “It feels like coffee is getting more professional and more organised in being profitable. I think this is mainly because of the maturing of the speciality market and the investment from external sources who see great opportunities within the sector”.
Cafes are becoming more aware of the possibilities of beverage choice for their customers, as well as how much it could improve their business by including more beverage selection as well as different blends for coffee. Mike from Cloud Picker Coffee Roasters explains “Blends seem to be making a come back. The taboo status seems to have fizzled away and people are recognising that a blend is a great choice to ensure a year-round taste profile”. The Marco SP9 is a precision coffee brewer that makes high quality coffee brew by brew. Baristas are favouring reliable brewers like the Marco SP9 to provide exquisite coffee to their customers.
Cold Drinks
Chilled drinks are surging in popularity at the moment. Coffee and tea are very appealing, especially in the warm summer months. There has been a huge shift towards cold brew coffee, Stephen explains. “Cold brew had most certainly grown in the past year, along with Nitro and others. The excitement of the major corporations in offering more cold drink options has seen the speciality market react for sure. I still don’t think that the smaller roasters have reacted to this, but they will have too”. Your business can achieve cold brew drinks with the Marco FRIIA, which provides hot, cold and sparkling water all from one sleek font.
Menu Expansions
Coffee shops and cafes are providing more beverage choice than ever. This is due to people’s evolving tastes and need for more variety. Mike says, “You need to ask yourself what is the longevity of this crop? Will this coffee not only stand up on the cupping table but in the most commonly sought drinks, i.e. flat whites, americanos? Will the cost of the coffee be on par with the flavour? Will this coffee be a crowd pleaser or a special treat for someone?”. These questions are important to ask yourself when decide to expand your menu.
Beware, too much products can be very hard to maintain quality, Stephen warns “Maintaining authenticity and focus. Too many product lines lead to a dilution to the brand and the businesses. The question to ask is ‘am I the best person to offer this to my customers?’ , always”. Investing in products that can offer more choice can help maintain quality within your business. The Marco MIX 3 button is a slim font with an accompanying under counter boiler that provides 3 different temperatures all from 1 font. The MIX Range makes it easier to serve up a variety of different teas without sacrificing the efficiency of your business.
Expanding Consumer Palate
People are looking for beverages with delicious flavours. Stephen explains, “Consumers still want delicious and tasty coffee. I think the consumer palate is expanding because of changes in some of the processing methods available (lactic, carbon maceration etc), but I still think that the main driving force is well grown, well processed tasty coffee for the masses, and these ‘extras’ are exactly that, not every day drinks”. Tea and cold drinks also cater for the consumer’s changing palate and help those who wish to have healthier drinks.
Coffee consumption has seen a shift towards speciality coffee. Customers are looking for impressive tastes and high quality coffee. “In Ireland we’ve noticed that the growing popularity of speciality coffee has really upped the expectations of the everyday consumer” Mike says. Businesses can really make their customer happy by sourcing some delicious coffee and choosing precise and reliable coffee brewing equipment, such as the Marco Uber boiler.
Want to find out more about how Marco products can help your business? Contact us.