Are you evaluating your menu options or thinking about new ways to refresh your current offerings?
If you’re not currently selling cold brew, now would be a great time to start — between the increasing popularity of cold brew coffee and the boost in profits for coffee shops, it’s a simple menu addition that has the potential to really increase traffic to your business.
Over the last few years, the demand for cold brew coffee has grown exponentially and it’s showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. In fact, according to coffee industry trends, the demand for cold brew coffee is expected to continue growing! Adding cold brew coffee to your menu allows you to tap into this growing demand.
Given the growing popularity with cold brew, it makes sense to add it to your menu because customers view cold brew as refreshing, energizing and the ideal pick-me-up beverage — not just during warm summer months, but year-round.
Here are a few reasons why adding cold brew to the menu is a good idea:
- Millennials love cold brew! In fact, 45 percent of this demographic is interested in trying cold brew and it’s often preferred over iced coffee.
- Customers drink cold brew all day long. It’s delicious and appealing to customers throughout the day, increasing your potential for sales after the morning rush. In fact, while 22 percent of customers enjoy cold brew for a breakfast or morning beverage, up to 30 percent prefer cold brew around lunchtime.
- Minimal equipment is needed. You don’t need to invest in fancy or expensive brewing machines to offer cold brew to customers — it just takes quality coffee, a steeping filter, and a storage container. Reach out to learn more about our cold brew starter kit!
Why is Cold Brew so Popular?
Why has the cold brew trend seen explosive growth and demand — especially when compared to other cold coffee options, such as iced coffee?
With cold brew coffee as a base, you have the ability to get as creative as you want designing beverages that are unique to your coffeehouse using a range of flavored syrups. Cold brew also allows you to accommodate dairy preferences of your customers, whether you choose to offer oat milk, cashew milk, or any other nut-based creamer (aside from traditional dairy options).
There are some significant differences that play a role in why cold brew is preferred over traditional iced coffee:
- The brewing process is different. The cold brew method steeps coarse-ground coffee beans in room temperature water for 12 to 24 hours. As a result, cold brew has more time to develop a smoother and less acidic taste — definitely appealing to coffee drinkers who have a more sensitive stomach or palate. This process is different from iced coffee, for example, which uses traditionally brewed coffee as a base before cooling with ice or refrigeration.
- No more watered down coffee. One of the biggest issues with iced coffee is that it’s brewed at double strength with hot water and poured over ice, resulting in a diluted and sometimes bitter brew for the customer. With cold brew, beverages are strong and naturally sweet, reducing the need for additional sugar or artificial flavoring.
Cold Brew is More Sustainable
Preparing coffee in room temperature water offers a number of benefits to both you and your customers. Aside from being less acidic to the stomach and taste buds, cold brew offers baristas an opportunity to provide customers with a coffee beverage that’s more flavorful, yet smooth and mellow, compared to other coffee menu items.
Brewing up a batch of cold brew also means less waste — both of energy and ingredients. Instead of brewing each cup of coffee for an iced coffee on demand, cold brew concentrate can be diluted as desired to create the perfect drink and — when properly refrigerated — lasts up to one week!
If you’re interested in bringing cold brew coffee to your business, reach out to Gaviña Coffee Solutions to learn more!
