5 top trends in premium coffee innovation

Flavorchem, a supplier of coffee extracts including cold brew concentrates, has outlined five trends it sees fueling premium coffee innovation. RTD cold brew and functional coffees are among the categories thriving as consumers seek more from their coffee experience. Meanwhile, sustainability is just a big a concern in coffee as it is across the wider food and drink industry.

Here are Flavorchem’s top five trends to watch.

• Cold Brew Heats Up: ​Cold brew coffee sales are set to reach $1bn by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 24% (Statista figures). Thanks to its associated 'health halo,' exciting flavors, and large range of formats, cold brew leads overall coffee category growth.

• Everyday Wellness: ​Consumer demand for health-boosting ingredients has brought functional coffee to the forefront. According to Mintel, 30% of coffee drinkers are interested in purchasing coffee with added functional benefits from immune and cognitive support to products containing protein and probiotics.

• Sustainable Claims​: Consumers now expect brands to make investments towards sustainable business practices including fair trade, humanitarian rights, upcycling, and eco-efficient packaging like compostable cups and filters. In fact, 49% of all global coffee launches in 2021 carried an environmental or ethical claim.

• Plant-Based Innovation: ​The plant-based space has been buzzing for some time: now it’s influencing the coffee market. It offers coffee brands ample opportunity in product innovation with macadamia, oat, and plant-protein milk and creamers.

• Traveling through Taste​: Consumers have been using exotic foods and flavors to ‘travel’ during the pandemic. Coffee brands are showcasing coffee beans from countries such as Indonesia, Ethiopia, Guatemala, and Costa Rica; along with global flavors such as matcha, horchatag and chai.