The Cold Brew Boom Demands Innovation To Keep Your Coffee Franchise Competitive – CoffeeTalk

Keeping Your Coffee Franchise Competitive in the Cold Brew Boom

Cold coffee, including varieties like cold brew and frozen coffee, has moved from a trend to a menu necessity. A July 2024 survey by the National Coffee Association found that 45% of coffee drinkers aged 18-24 consumed cold coffee in the past day. For younger consumers, the connection between cold coffee and customization is significant, making it crucial for operators to stay updated on flavor trends and provide premium cold coffee options.

Laurie Winward, vice president of innovation and research and development at Sunny Sky Products, highlights the current trend: “The big trend this year is flavored coffees, with every flavor you can possibly think of. It’s a renaissance for coffee. We haven’t seen this kind of explosion of coffee flavors in years, and consumers are more willing than ever to embrace it.”

Redefining Competitive Offerings

As customization options increase, service times can be adversely affected. “Some drinks now take up to 10 minutes to make, which isn’t sustainable,” says Winward, stressing the importance of maintaining speed of service to enhance customer satisfaction. In an intensely competitive market, seconds matter, and inefficiencies in wait times can damage service quality.

To combat these challenges, manufacturers like Sunny Sky Products have developed programs such as UPOURIA, designed to offer a balance between customization and rapid service, reducing wait times while ensuring consistency across all locations.

The Next Pumpkin Spice

The significance of limited-time offers (LTOs) and seasonal drinks is exemplified by the enduring popularity of the pumpkin spice latte (PSL), first launched in 2003. While the coffee landscape has evolved, operators are continually challenged to innovate their flavor offerings. “Everyone is trying to dethrone the pumpkin spice latte,” Winward remarks, noting that brands are experimenting with flavors such as cookie butter, sugar plums, and apple crisp to find the next seasonal sensation.

For operators aiming to keep up with these trends, collaboration with a manufacturer adept at both scaling and testing flavors is essential. Sunny Sky Products is partnering with operators nationwide to develop flavors that resonate with local customer bases.

A Need for Customization

Understanding their consumers well, operators often seek manufacturers who can customize flavors to meet specific demands and local trends. “Clients tell us what flavors they want to launch, and we produce ready-to-drink formats or use UPOURIA syrups to create variety,” says Isabel Atherton, vice president of marketing at Sunny Sky Products. This allows for a single cold brew base to transform into multiple flavors, giving operators flexibility while avoiding added complexity.

Shelf Stable and Aseptically Processed

Sunny Sky Products offers a range of aseptically processed dairy and non-dairy items, including iced coffees and cold brews that are shelf-stable and do not require refrigeration. “These products free up valuable cooler space,” says Dennis Gordon, COO at Sunny Sky Products. The longer shelf life provided by aseptic processing maintains flavor consistency and reduces labor costs while meeting the increasing consumer demand for cold coffee.

Beating the Cold Brew Clock

A report from the National Coffee Association shows that cold brew popularity has surged by 300% since 2016. As more young consumers prefer cold coffee with diverse flavors, the lengthy 24-36 hour preparation time for cold brew can pose inefficiencies and increase labor costs. Gordon explains, “We follow a razorblade model—we lend dispensers to operators and provide the products that fit them.” The upcoming launch of a 32-ounce shelf-stable cold brew concentrate exemplifies this model, allowing operators to create two gallons of high-quality cold brew instantly at a low cost.

Have Your Cake and Eat It Too

Operators today must balance customization, service speed, and operational efficiency to remain competitive. Cold coffee is now an essential menu item, with consumers expecting variety, premium flavors, and convenience. By implementing solutions such as UPOURIA syrups and shelf-stable cold brew concentrates, franchises can optimize operations while offering the innovative beverages that today’s customers crave. Collaborating with the right partners can help operators future-proof their coffee programs, ensuring they stay competitive well into 2025 and beyond.

Read More @ QSR