Just reading the words ‘roasting trends’ is enough to send a waft of hot coffee bean scent through my nose.
“The trend in coffee blends over the last year or so has been mainly in style and roast philosophy, rather than preferred origins,” says Head Roaster at Paradox Coffee Roasters, Paul Golding.
It doesn’t take much to realise that visiting the local cafe is a luxury loved by many – with so many of us becoming self-proclaimed ‘foodies’ and ‘coffee connoisseurs’ via social media.
In the latest issue of Retail World magazine, I spoke to a couple of expert coffee roasters, on what the current and previous trends are in coffee flavours.
“The demand is now from café owners and consumers pushing back to safer ground, with stronger, simpler and more comforting coffee blends,” says Mr Golding.
So, what are the flavours that café owners and consumers are mostly chasing?
“The most popular styles we sell present as either caramelly and rich, or crisp and fruity, but both need to be strong and milk focused.”
In terms of age, “younger people are more likely to be adventurous in their search for new flavour experiences and will readily follow whatever trend happens to be in progress at any given time,” he continues.
“Older people may have found their favoured style and be comfortable staying with it rather than trying a range of new options,” he said.
The environmental effect on flavour
“Research shows clearly that environment affects perception of flavour, and there are ample examples of this in the food and beverage industry. I believe coffee outlets that focus on providing a better experience for their customer will consistently receive more positive feedback on flavour and greater sales through increased loyalty, especially following the large-scale re-evaluation of priorities during COVID-19.”
While blends, roasting styles and origins are important factors when it comes to coffee purchases, it’s also important for cafes to keep in mind the rising influence of sustainability and environmental aspects.
Read more in the August issue of Retail World.