Coffee Statistics – December 2018
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Why Pumpkin Spice Is So Popular: It is All about Comfort
It is that time of year again when pumpkin spice coffees are all the rage. And no, we are not just talking about coffee shop menus. Even our customers tend to show preference for pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and other fall flavors as we turn the page from summer into winter. The question is, why?
There is little doubt that America’s taste preferences change with the seasons. The thing is that we associate certain flavors with certain times of the year. For example, we associate certain foods with temperature changes and leisure activities. So it should be no surprise that what we drink this time of year differs from what we drink in the summer.
Fall and Winter Comfort
You are familiar with the principle of comfort food, right? We all have those foods that remind us of youthful times of safety and security under the watchful eyes of mom and dad. We associate comfort food with mom’s cooking or visits to grandmother’s house. Well, it turns out that the same phenomenon explains why people gravitate to flavors like pumpkin spice during the fall.
Mintel research released in 2017 says it all. According to their data, people prefer seasonal coffee flavors for the following reasons:
- They are comforting – 39%
- They are special – 39%
- They evoke feelings of warmth – 33%
- They evoke feelings of happiness – 30%
- They are nostalgic – 27%.
It is clear that seasonal flavors like pumpkin spice evoke good feelings in people. Those are the kinds of feelings we want heading into that time of year that is supposed to be about family, friends, and quality time spent together.
The Next Big Flavor
The National Coffee Association says that pumpkin, cinnamon, and clove are the three big coffee flavors of autumn. By the time Christmas rolls around, it’s all about chestnut, peppermint, and winter spice. But curious minds want to know what the next big seasonal flavor is going to be.
At the risk of putting ourselves out there, we are willing to make two predictions. We think hot apple cider is going to be big by this time next year. We are already seeing a couple of coffee retailers experiment with the flavor for pod machines. We think it’s going to catch on. As for winter and Christmas, we have our eyes set on butterscotch.
Butterscotch is a sweet candy flavor that is often served alongside peppermint. Strangely enough, there are people whose stomachs don’t tolerate mint flavors very well. Butterscotch is going to be their go-to coffee flavor soon enough. If not this winter, then next winter.
Seasonal coffee is all about comfort. We take great comfort in the tastes of the season that remind us of earlier days. And for some of us, pumpkin spice makes us feel all warm and fuzzy. That’s why it’s all the rage from early October through early December. If it’s what you want, just let us know. Galaxie Coffee has all the flavors perfect for the season.
Is the Future of Office Coffee Taking Flight?
Predictions about the future of office coffee almost always relate to things like user preferences, coffee bean sources, and pricing. IBM has its own prediction, a prediction that is rooted in a technology they have invented. The only question is whether their invention will succeed or not. If it does, the future of office coffee could be taking flight in the near future.
A USA Today article published at the end of August (2018) describes what IBM calls their coffee drone. Apparently, the 107-year-old technology company has filed both patents and trademarks for a drone device that flies around public spaces delivering cups of coffee to those in need.
Airborne Coffee Delivery
Trademark filings indicate that IBM’s coffee drone could be used in just about any public space, including the typical office. It could be deployed to deliver a cup of coffee ordered using a smartphone or kiosk. The drone could ostensibly fly around a public space waiting to be hailed by a coffee drinker who places an order and then waits for the airborne delivery.
We must admit, the concept is rather intriguing on its face. We can even see how it would work at something like an outdoor music festival or in a public park setting. But there appear to be too many pitfalls to use it effectively in an office or café. For starters, just think of the implications of drones flying around in enclosed spaces.
To make it work, IBM would definitely have to address the following:
Noise – The sound of drones buzzing through the air might elicit a bit of excitement at first, but it would not take long for the noise to get old. Workers trying to concentrate on their tasks would be driven crazy by the constant buzzing going on over their heads.
Lighting and Fixtures – Galaxie Coffee delivers to a lot of New York area offices, and we can tell you that office environments are not known for their unencumbered airspace. There are all sorts of lights and other fixtures to get in the way. Having to navigate an office could create quite a challenge.
Accidental Spills – Perhaps the biggest pitfall of airborne coffee delivery is the accidental spill. Do you remember that lady who sued McDonald’s years ago because she spilled hot coffee and burned herself? Imagine what is going to happen the first time an IBM drone loses its load in the middle of the office.
Not a Good Fit for Office Coffee
It doesn’t appear that IBM’s coffee drone is a practical solution for office coffee. But who knows? They could find a way to make it work. We will have to wait and see.
In the here and now, Galaxie Coffee offers the finest of office coffee solutions. We carry state-of-the-art equipment that complements our extensive inventory of coffees, teas, fruit juices, bottled water, and snacks. We would be honored to serve your office – even without a drone to make deliveries.
The One Thing Craft Beer and Third Wave Coffee Have in Common
Modern beer drinkers are a unique group of people that view their beverage of choice as more than just a glass of grain alcohol. They see beer as a taste experience. They are not alone. Today’s coffee connoisseurs are very much the same way. It turns out that these two groups of imbibers have something in common: millennials.
Yes, it’s true. The oft-maligned millennial is the common denominator between the modern craft beer and third wave coffee movements. Gone are the days of Joe Sixpack and Java Joe. They have been replaced by Mitch Microbrew and Larry Latte.
Old-School Beer and Coffee
If you are old enough to remember the Nixon presidency and the end of the Vietnam War, you are also old enough to know that the beer and coffee scenes have changed considerably since then. Back in the old-school days of the 70s and 80s, beer was marketed to blue-collar workers looking to grab a cold brewski after work or hang out with friends on the weekends. Back then, the hardest decision a beer drinker had to make was bottle or can.
Coffee drinkers were not much into different flavors, cappuccino, or latte back in the day, either. Coffee was fuel for them. And it wasn’t just for people going off to work. Homemakers brewed a pot every morning to get them through a grueling day of housework.
Millennials, Beer, and Coffee
It could be said that beer and coffee was limited in the past by the willingness to spend, or the lack thereof, among consumers. People were not willing to spend a ton of money on beer and coffee; they saved the big money for wine and champagne. Beer and coffee were cheap, utilitarian beverages.
Then millennials entered the picture and changed everything.
Millennial consumers are willing to spend as much on craft beer and third wave coffee as their parents and grandparents spent on a multi-course meal. Moreover, millennials want an experience. They do not want to sit around the bar drinking a light beer and talking about football. No, they would rather sit at a large oak table discussing the finer points of how the new Verizon guy is better than the old one while sipping a craft beer with fruity notes.
Third wave coffee drinkers will not be outdone. Coffee is no longer fuel for the millennial generation. Rather, it is an experience that transcends one’s first kiss, becoming a parent, and realizing you finally made it through a mid-life crisis.
Third wave coffee drinkers concern themselves with the subtleties of taste. They are interested in where coffee beans are grown, how they are roasted, and how they are blended together to create a world of flavors only they can taste. To modern coffee drinkers, it is good to be them.
Here at Galaxie Coffee, we celebrate coffee drinkers of every generation. Be they baby boomers, Gen X or Gen Y, or even the much-maligned millennials, we have coffee for all of them. And it is all good!
4 Reasons Non-Dairy Milks are Gaining Traction
It used to be that non-dairy milks produced from nuts, soy, and grains were reserved for a small number of people who had a particular reservation about cow and goat’s milk. How times have changed though. Not only are non-dairy milks mainstream, but they are also quickly gaining traction against the dairy industry.
According to 2017 research published by Mintel, sales of non-dairy milk products have jumped more than 60% over the last five years. It was estimated at the time that total 2017 sales would eclipse $2.1 billion. Those numbers include sales of almond, coconut, soy, pecan, quinoa, hazelnut, and flax milk.
Here are four reasons that could help explain why:
1. Saying Goodbye to Dairy
More consumers appear to be making a concerted effort to consume less dairy. According to a late 2017 survey conducted in Great Britain, roughly 20% of the population stated a desire to cut down on the amount of milk, butter, and cheese they consumed.
Roughly 28% told researchers they planned to give up cheese and milk, and 19% said they were willing to substitute what they gave up with non-dairy products. That means almond, soy, or other options instead of cow’s milk.
2. Adopting the Vegan Lifestyle
A second factor, which may go hand-in-hand with the first, is the fact that more people are electing to adopt the vegan lifestyle. That same British survey suggested that nearly 10% of Brits aim to be completely vegan by the end of 2018.
Whether or not they succeed, people who go vegan obviously cannot drink dairy-based milk. So they turn to one of the non-dairy options instead. Almond milk tops the list, according to the Mintel research, with a 64% market share. Soy comes in at 13% while coconut milk owns 12% of the market.
3. Greater Exposure
We cannot discount exposure and marketing as factors in the rise of non-dairy milks. If it were not for aggressive marketing, a lot of people now embracing the non-dairy movement would not even know they have choices. Savvy marketers have tapped into the health-conscious movement of the 2010s in the same way they did the aerobics movement of the 1980s. Their efforts have undoubtedly contributed to upward sales trends.
4. Better Quality Products
Last but not least are the better-quality products now on the market. When alternative milks first became the thing, they were not known for their rich flavor and palatable, milk-like texture. But producers have learned a lot over the last 20 years. Today’s non-dairy milks offer the highest quality they have ever offered. They are winning over more consumers as a result.
How about you? Are you a fan of almond, soy, or coconut milk? We would be happy to know what you think. One of our goals here at Galaxie Coffee is to provide the kinds of products our customers want, regardless of what those products are. If that means non-dairy milk for your office, we can handle it.
What is Third Wave Coffee?
Do you consider coffee more than just a hot beverage loaded with caffeine and capable of waking you up in the morning? If so, you may be familiar with the phrase ‘third wave coffee’. It is a phrase that is bandied about by coffee roasters, growers, and even local baristas who fancy themselves experts in all things coffee.
So, what exactly is third wave coffee? Moreover, did coffee have first and second waves? Keep reading to learn more about what has essentially become a cultural phenomenon here in the U.S.
Definition of Third Wave Coffee
Third wave coffee is essentially coffee that is crafted as an artisanal beverage with the same attention to flavor, quality, and experience vintner’s give to fine wines. Third wave is to the coffee industry what award-winning wine is to wine tasting.
Those involved in the third wave are very particular about growing regions. They pay special attention to the quality of their coffee beans, how they mix and match those beans to achieve a specific flavor, how they roast the beans, and even how roasted beans are ground and packaged for sale.
The objective here is to produce coffee that is worth being persnickety about. Third wave coffee is considered by coffee snobs to be the best possible coffee money can buy. As such, third wave producers compete for brand loyalty.
First and Second Waves
To fully understand and appreciate third wave coffee, you probably need to understand the first and second waves. The reason for this is simple: the current third wave of coffee is not really new, it is simply a return to the way things used to be done before industrialization.
The first wave of coffee began back in the 1800s when a small number of producers decided they needed a way to mass produce and market their products. Coffee processing went from small, family-owned operations to large, industrialized factories. First wave gave us coffee in cans, vacuum packing, and household brand names like Folgers and Hills Bros.
This first wave continued into the early 1990s, when consumers began tiring of poor quality coffee purchased at the grocery store. Coffee drinkers started demanding better flavor and more choices coinciding with the rise of the coffee house culture. Second wave gave us Starbucks, flavored coffees, and Americanized lattes and cappuccinos.
Second wave morphed into third wave at the turn of the 21st century. That brings us to where we are today. Third wave coffee lovers are very particular about the flavor and quality of their coffee. They also care about where coffee beans are sourced from.
Here at Galaxie Coffee, we embrace all three waves for the benefit of our customers. Regardless of your taste in coffee and coffee preparation, we have something for your office. We take great pride in meeting the needs of our customers with a large variety of products and equipment. Whatever wave is your thing, we have you covered with our large coffee selection.
6 Current Cold Beverage Trends in America
This is the time of year when a lot of us limit hot coffee consumption to just one or two cups in the morning. Whether it’s a physical thing or something mental, we tend to prefer cold drinks during the summer. That means this is also the time of year when a little observation is all it takes to identify the hottest trends in cold beverages.
This summer season is no exception. Take a step back and look around. You will see more people consuming cold beverages instead of hot coffee. Here are six that are trendy right now:
1-2. Cold Brew Coffee and Tea
Cold brew coffee has been around for decades. However, it didn’t become popular in America until just a few years ago. It is now one of the most preferred cold beverages among coffee and tea drinkers. Cold brew coffee offers all the flavor of its hot cousin but with less bitterness. Some people have described it as naturally sweeter than hot coffee.
Not to be outdone, tea drinkers have their own cold brew concoction. Cold brew tea is made the same way cold brew coffee is. You take your tea leaves (or tea bags as the case may be) and steep them in cold or room temperature water for up to 12 hours. Then serve it with ice and just a touch of lemon for some extra zing.
3-4. Seltzer and Flavored Seltzer
Whether you call it fizzy water, carbonated water, or seltzer, it’s all the same. The point is that seltzer is one of the hottest trends in cold beverages right now. People who love water because it is sugar, salt, and calorie-free also love seltzer because of the extra punch carbonation adds.
Flavored seltzer is also popular. And why not? If you can add a touch of fruit flavor to carbonated water without overloading it with sugar and calories, you make a great product even better.
5. Vat-Pasteurized Milk
Milk is making a comeback thanks to a new vat pasteurization process that replaces heat pasteurization and homogenization. Vat-pasteurized milk is more flavorful, according to those who love it. It is also heavy on the cream. That’s why you’re supposed to shake vat pasteurized milk aggressively before you actually drink it.
6. Cold Pressed Juices
Finally, cold pressed juices are a big hit among fruit and vegetable lovers. Cold pressed juices have been around for decades, but they started gaining traction about five years ago. What’s the appeal? Flavor.
Cold pressing extracts the most fruit or vegetable juice without the added debris created by single auger and centrifugal juicing. Furthermore, cold pressed juices can be safely refrigerated for 5 to 7 days without the need for flavor-killing pasteurization or high-pressure processing.
This is the time of year when a cold drink can be even more refreshing than a cup of hot coffee. What’s your favorite cold beverage? Perhaps we carry it here at Galaxie Coffee.
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