Coffee that’s brewed in cold water yields a slightly sweeter and less acidic brew, which has contributed to the growth of the sub-segment of coffee: cold-brew. Sometimes blended with other beverages, or used as a base, beverage flavors in this category include Chai, Toasted Coconut, Mexican Vanilla, Mocha, Salted Caramel, and Almond Maple.
MAY 2017: #Trendspotting Cold Brew from Imbibe on Vimeo.
TREND OVERVIEW
Cold brew is the biggest trend in coffee right now, and new products are being launched monthly.Mintel reports cold brew sales jumped 580% between 2011 and 2016.
PRODUCT LANDSCAPE
Starbucks is featuring Toasted Coconut Cold Brew Coffee as one of their summer seasonal beverages, as well as nitro cold brew coffee at select stores.
Brands are enhancing cold brew coffee with ingredients that provide additional function such as reishi, maca and protein.
Who does it well:Rebbl, Orgain, Happy Tree Maple Water, Montauk Juice Factory
Califia Farms has fully embraced the trend and launched 40 different SKUs of ready-to-drink cold brew coffees.
Cold brew coffee has expanded beyond the beverage space, and is now used in food products like ice cream and cookies.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR COLD BREW
We’re starting to see hybrid drinks with cold brew coffee and cascara tea and kombucha.
Who does it well: Slingshot Coffee Co./Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Blue Island Coffee, Bhakti, Coffee Juice
Cold brew coffee is making its way into craft cocktails and mocktails in the foodservice industry.
While the cold brew coffee market is very saturated, there is still room for brands to innovate.
