From glitter coffee to spinach smoothies, beverage trends are unique and always changing. Some stay, and some go. It is important to understand which trends have been around, and which ones will stick around. Evaluate your business's target audience to see if it is time to think about adding one or all of these items to your menu.
Although cold brew coffee has been around for a few years now, the drink has risen in popularity and one can find it at local coffee shops and restaurants. Nowadays, someone can pick it up in bottles, find it on tap, or make it at home.
What makes cold brew so popular?
While some people may think cold brew is just another phrase for “iced coffee,” there are many significant differences between the two. When making cold press, the fine coffee grounds are brewed with cold water for about 24 hours. This makes the coffee concentrate very bold and smooth, as well as less acidic. After the concentrate is made, it gets mixed with cold water over ice. Depending on the taste and strength people prefer, some places will mix it on a ratio of one part concentrate to three parts water, or possibly two parts concentrate to two parts water.
Cold Brew is getting introduced into almost every coffee shop. Many coffee roasters are now experimenting with their own cold brew. Aside from coffee shops, some people have started making single batch cold brew with a french press at home. Click Here to learn more about cold brew, and find some fun recipes for the next time you're thinking about trying cold brew.
Bubble Tea originated in Taiwan, and soon made its way throughout the world. This milky and sweet drink is most commonly found in restaurants, shopping centers, or food courts. Interesting enough, bubble tea doesn’t actually have bubbles in it, and sometimes not even tea.
Bubble Tea uses a tea and/or fruit concentrate and is mixed with milk and Tapioca pearls. When making bubble tea, most places will soak the Tapioca pearls in simple sugar, giving them a sweet flavor. These ingredients are shaken together to create a frothy and sweet drink. What makes this drink interesting is being able to chew the pearls for a sweet taste while sipping on the tea at the same time.
While most teas are low in calories and overall good for your health, bubble tea may not make that list. Since the pearls are soaked in sugar beforehand, and the majority of the drink is made with milk, this may defeat the “nutritional” part of the drink.
Cold pressed juice recently became well-known in the last couple years. Cold pressed juice is made from pressing fruits and vegetables. The biggest difference between cold pressed juice and normal juice is the way it is “pressed.” Cold Pressed is manual, whereas normal juice is made with a blender or some sort of mixing blades.
Whether someone is looking for a detox or their daily nutrients, cold pressed juice is a great choice. Since the juice is pressed and made into a concentrate there is no added sugars and preservatives. It also causes the juice to be less diluted. These juices can be quite expensive, some go for over $10 a bottle. Most commonly, these juices will be served in a clear bottle to showcase the bright color from the fruits and vegetables used.
Cold Pressed juice is a juice concentrate and can be very strong. It provides a very natural flavor, whereas normal juice provides the sweet and tart flavor. Both types of juice will attract a certain audience, which is helpful to know when thinking about bringing it into your business.
Matcha is a green tea powder used mostly in teas, lattes, and now even foods. The most popular use of this powder is used by mixing the powder (which comes from green tea leaves) with boiling water or steamed milk. But why are people so crazy about it?
Matcha has many health benefits. Alike coffee, it has a great amount of caffeine, more than the average amount of caffeine in a cup of steeped tea. Matcha provides a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. There have been studies about matcha, and research has shown that it has the ability to boost metabolism and protect people against heart disease. Lastly, matcha has been linked to meditation and stress relief.
Most tea lovers tend to enjoy matcha drinks, especially those who enjoy green tea. If people happen to not be a fan of the flavor, they may still want to reap the benefits from it. Some customers may want to sweeten it with honey, vanilla, and other natural flavors and spices.
These four beverages are increasing in popularity. Understanding the benefits and uses of them is important if your business wants to actually serve them. After reading about them, which one would you be willing to try?