The trends that were present in 2019 will continue strong in 2020: cold coffee, sustainably sourced, mixed in imaginative concoctions.
Coffee drinkers across the world have become more knowledgeable regarding the quality, variety, and type of coffee they want to drink. They are also more eager to experiment with coffee drinks or with adding coffee to various drinks such as cocktails, mocktails, and even Coke. And iced coffees are here to stay, in a range of variations.
Iced and cold-brew coffee
Cold-brew
Cold-brew coffee made from soaking coffee beans at room temperature for up to 12 hours gives a different taste and flavor than conventional coffee brewing techniques.
Cold-brew coffee is in increasingly high demand. There are various cold-brew making tools that people use to prepare cold-brew coffee at home. This is a type of coffee preparation that has withstood passing trends and seems to be here to stay.
Snap-chilled coffee
Snap-chilled coffee is a method of chilling coffee in mere minutes from a boiling state to a chilly one.
By snap-chilling hot coffee, the flavors and unique aromas of the coffee beans do not evaporate in the air as hot coffee cools down. Instead, they remain within the beverage.
Although snap-chilling coffee is rather expensive, as it demands specialized equipment, people have started to like its uniqueness and strength of taste.
Nitrogen cold coffee
Another way of cooling down coffee is with the use of nitrogen. Cafés and restaurants offer nitro-cold coffee by infusing cold-brew coffee with nitrogen.
Nitrogen produces a bubbly, fluffy and creamy coffee with the intensive flavors of cold brew. Again, this is not something that every bar, restaurant, or café sells. Even so, it is still a trend that people are starting to pay attention to.
Sustainability throughout the process
Just like with everything that is related to food and drinks, consumers are becoming more aware and worried about the way food is produced. This attention also extends to drinks and coffee.
Coffee drinkers want to know their coffee is fair-trade. They are also interested in coffee that has been sustainably produced and packaged. Sustainability is hard to gauge when it comes to shipping coffee from tropical areas to places around the world, but there are ways to ship coffee (by sea, for instance), that are more sustainable than other means.
Coffee goes with anything
People enjoy a good cup of coffee and like to experiment with novel ideas. There are rumors that Coca Cola is thinking of producing a Coke with coffee with an increased content in caffeine.
Another innovative trend is coffee with seltzer, making it carbonated: sparkling iced coffee is a novelty that could be in demand in summer. Coffee has been added to cocktails and mocktails as well, making it an interesting addition to traditional—or not—drinking recipes.
Coffee to go
People are increasingly asking to get their coffee on the go. They want to take their coffee anywhere, hence the demand for coffee in individual cans. A few coffee companies are offering their coffee in cans so that people are more flexible regarding their coffee-drinking habits.
A little bit of flavored coffee
Most people like their coffee without any added flavor. If anything, they want to taste the richness, authenticity, and aromas of good-quality coffee.
However, flavored coffee has not disappeared.
Apart from the classic choices such as vanilla, caramel and hazelnut, people are choosing coconut, chocolate, maple, and cardamom-flavored coffee. A little exotic taste is combined to coffee to give it an interesting extra flavor.
Non-dairy milks
As with other segments of the food and beverage market, people are trying to steer away from milk and opt for non-dairy milks such as soy, almond, oat, or rice milk. More and more people will prefer to add non-dairy milks to their coffees. This seems to be a trend that many vegan consumers will support.