Beverages are having a moment. Total beverage sales growth in 2023 outpaced total industry sales for the second consecutive year, according to Technomic’s 2024 Away-From-Home Beverage Navigator. Plus, cold beverages continued to grow faster than hot beverages, indicating an ongoing shift in consumer preferences and behavior. As cold beverages, including iced coffee, cold brew coffee and specialty coffee beverages, continue to grow—and as cold brew volume is poised to grow at a faster rate (+3.2%) than iced coffee over the next couple of years—it’s important for operators to ensure they’re ready for the rising consumer demand.
Cold brew’s menu penetration is expected to overtake iced coffee by the end of 2024, and for operators who want to stay abreast of the trend and prepare the shift in consumer demand, there are a few things they should know. First, what to expect regarding consumer behavior and cold brew coffee trends and second, what products and equipment can help them manage the demand best while effectively managing cost and resources.
Its growth is predicted to outperform 100% of all other foods, beverages and ingredients over the next four years, according to Datassential.
Cold brew’s popularity and growth
Cold brew has been rapidly growing on menus in recent years, and it currently ranks in the 100th percentile for future growth potential—meaning its growth is predicted to outperform 100% of all other foods, beverages and ingredients over the next four years, according to Datassential. Its low acidity provides a smooth flavor profile that consumers have come to expect from cold coffee offerings. Cold brew’s traditional prep, also known as the toddy process, can be cumbersome—it often requires long steeping times and careful measurements to ensure consistency. This process can present challenges in foodservice settings where time and labor are precious. Thankfully, operators have options that eliminate these challenges while ensuring authentic taste from cup to cup.
Streamlining prep, offering signature drinks and more
Javo Beverage Company has a full line of products that ensure operators are able to give their customers what they clamor for without adding labor hours or additional work to the back of house. Javo’s cold brew coffee concentrates, available in bag-in-box and hand mix packaging varieties, reduce time, resources and inconsistency, while offering the smooth, rich taste cold brew is known for. Their products ensure easy scalability to keep up with increased demand, while delivering superior quality and taste. As cold brew continues to proliferate, now is the time to capture market share while consumers develop brand loyalties based on product quality and availability.
To learn more about Javo’s cold brew options, why they’re important for operators and how to easily integrate them into the menu,
Originally published by Restaurant Business
