Premiumization driving consumer’s coffee-drinking habits

Ingredient supplier identifies top trends for premium coffee innovations

Prior to having children, my coffee-drinking habits had been associated with election nights in the newsroom or evenings dating back to finals weeks during college. Once I had to start balancing working hours with the nighttime needs of infants and toddlers, coffee went from an occasional beverage to a daily necessity. Although I am more of a coffee novice than some peers, it looks like my preferences fit with the vanguard trends of today’s trends.

Ingredient supplier Flavorchem released the top trends in premium coffee innovation, which it notes was propelled during the pandemic as consumers looked for elevated at-home coffee experiences. “Ready-to-drink cold brew and functional coffee, along with heightened consumer interest in sustainability, have exploded in popularity as coffee trends point to premiumization,” the company states in a release.

**La Colombe and Pressed partnered to create two high-quality coffee smoothies: Vanilla Protein Cold Brew Smoothie and Mocha Reishi Cold Brew Smoothie.**
*Image courtesy of Pressed/La Colombe*

The company identified the following top trends for premium coffee innovation:

Cold Brew Heats Up: Citing Statista, the company notes that cold-brew coffee sales are projected to reach $1 billion by 2025, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 24%. Noting its associated “health halo,” flavors and formats, cold brew is leading overall coffee category growth.

Everyday Wellness: Citing data from Mintel, Flavorchem notes that 30% of coffee drinkers are interested in buying coffee with added functional benefits, including immune and cognitive support as well as protein and probiotic ingredients.

Sustainable Claims: Noting that 49% of all global coffee launches in 2021 featured an environmental or ethical claim, the company highlights consumers expect brands to invest in sustainable business practices.

Plant-Based Innovation: Consumers changing demands has given rise to innovation opportunities featuring plant-based ingredients, including macadamia, oat, and plant-protein milk and creamers, the company says.

Traveling Through Taste: Coffee bean origins from Indonesia, Ethiopia, Guatemala and Costa Rica are being showcased by coffee brands along with global flavor profiles such as matcha, horchata and chai, Flavorchem notes.

Some examples of brands supporting these trends include REBBL Stacked Coffee, which combines caffeine with green tea's nootropic L-Theanine, the company says. Layered with creamy oat milk, Reishi, Lion's Mane and MCTs, Stacked Coffee is designed to support a healthy immune system the company says.

Brands also are partnering to create elevated coffee solutions. For instance, La Colombe and Pressed are working together to create two high-quality coffee smoothies: Vanilla Protein Cold Brew Smoothie and Mocha Reishi Cold Brew Smoothie. Available nationwide at Pressed stores, each smoothie is made with responsibly sourced, single origin La Colombe cold-brew coffee and innovative ingredients including maca and reishi, according to the company.

As consumers aim to heighten their at-home coffee experiences, beverage-makers and suppliers are ready to supply great taste and sustainable solutions.

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Jessica Jacobsen, editor of Beverage Industry, visits a range of beverage companies for cover stories and facility tours, represents the magazine at trade shows and industry events, and works with the Beverage Industry team to determine the content and direction of the magazine and its online components. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Marquette University.