The coffee industry is continuously evolving. Coffee lovers and manufacturers are always coming up with innovative ways to consume and sell this beloved beverage. With new trends arising every year, it can be tough to keep track of everything.

Keeping a finger on the industry’s pulse can help you figure out which trends to follow. And offering those trends or products for your customers can help build your customer base. You could even partake in trends to boost your company’s social media presence and engagement, showing followers you know what they’re into. We’ve outlined some of the hottest coffee trends to keep an eye on this year and beyond.

1. COLD BREW

While cold brew has been on the scene for several years now, this trendy coffee’s popularity has only continued to grow. Market forecasts erica driving most of the demand.

It’s important to note that although the two are similar, cold brew is different from iced coffee. Iced coffee is brewed hot and chilled over ice, while cold brew is left to steep in cold water for anywhere from 12 to 24 hours. The lower temperature and longer steep time allows the coffee to develop a smoother, sweeter flavor and higher caffeine content.

Offering cold brew options could significantly expand your revenue stream. If you still need to jump on the cold brew train, here are a few ideas:

• Pitcher packs. Cold brew pitcher packs allow for easy at-home or commercial brewing. All the user has to do is add your coffee to a pitcher and let it steep overnight.
• Cold brew concentrate. Prepackaged cold brew concentrate is ultra-convenient for customers. They simply mix the concentrate with water or milk before drinking.
• Reusable filters. Take advantage of sustainability trends by offering a reusable metal or plastic filter for at-home brewers. They can fill the filter with their favorite blend and leave it overnight, giving them total control over their coffee.

WHY IS COLD BREW POPULAR?

Unlike iced coffee, which often tastes weak and watery, cold brew has a bold, robust flavor. It also contains more caffeine than iced coffee, an added bonus.

It’s also just as versatile as traditional iced coffee. Coffee drinkers can customize cold brew by adding flavored syrups, milks, and creamers, or blend it into a frozen coffee treat. Cocktails and craft alcoholic beverages containing cold brew have also been appearing on menus at bars and restaurants.

2. NITRO COLD BREWS

Nitro cold brew takes this chilled beverage to a whole new level. While it’s been around for a few years, this trend is likely to become even more popular moving forward.

Nitro cold brewing uses a pressurized valve to infuse nitrogen gas into the coffee, a process similar to that of home-brewing beer. The process begins with regular cold brew. Using a pressurized valve, brewers add nitrogen gas, which creates small bubbles that improve the coffee’s flavor and texture. These bubbles are smaller than what you’d find in most soft drinks, which is why nitro cold brew doesn’t taste fizzy or carbonated. 

If you want to begin offering nitro cold brew, make sure to start with quality coffee beans — and remember to use the right equipment. Although it’s more costly to prepare than traditional coffee, interested customers are willing to pay more for it. The typical nitro cold brew costs a dollar or more than a standard iced coffee.

WHY ARE NITRO COLD BREWS POPULAR?

On their own, nitro cold brew canned drinks often have no sugar or less than what other coffee beverages have. That gives them a health appeal of fewer calories compared to different beverages. Nitro coffee is also among coffee trends because of how it tastes, with qualities including:

• Less bitter flavor
• Smoother texture
• Creamier flavor

Coffee lovers and younger coffee drinkers alike love those qualities, meaning nitro coffee is popular across different groups of customers.

3. MATCHA LATTES

You might have noticed this green beverage among upcoming coffee shop trends. While a coffee latte has espresso, steamed milk, and foam, a matcha latte combines green tea powder, water, and milk. The beverage doesn’t deliver quite as much caffeine as its coffee counterpart, but some consider it to provide a cleaner caffeine boost than coffee.

Matcha has been around for more than a thousand years, but matcha lattes have only become popular in recent years. They are expected to rise among other coffee trends this year. The beverage starts with matcha powder, which is made from ground leaves of certain green tea plants. A barista blends that powder with water to create a paste. They then add steamed milk, and can even create latte art as they would on a traditional coffee version.

Matcha powder can come sweetened or unsweetened. For unsweetened varieties, a barista can add sweetener or honey to the latte based on the customer’s preference. They’ll also base the type of milk and how much they use on what a customer wants.

WHY ARE MATCHA LATTES POPULAR?

The main reason matcha lattes are among the top 2022 coffee trends despite lacking coffee is their potential health benefits. Many coffee drinkers have an increasingly health-conscious mindset, and green tea provides different possible health benefits. More customers are choosing matcha lattes because they:

• Contain antioxidants
• Contain fiber
• Are a good source of vitamin C and other vitamins

Those attributes mean matcha and matcha lattes can reduce bad cholesterol, protect the liver, improve brain function, and provide other benefits.

4. READY-TO-DRINK COFFEE

Ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee encapsulates various coffee industry trends. RTD beverages are any type of drink that would normally involve mixing or preparation, like coffee. Manufacturers pre-prepare these drinks. RTD coffee is canned or bottled, already brewed, flavored, and sweetened. 

Coffee-infused energy drinks are one such example. They’re popular because they provide the bold, sweet taste of coffee with the high caffeine kick of energy drinks like Monster or Red Bull.

These ready-to-drink beverages appear anywhere from grocery store check-outs to convenience stores and even coffee shop refrigerators. All the customer has to do is pick their favorite variety and enjoy.

Emerging coffee brands and large manufacturers alike are entering the RTD market. As of May 2022, RTD coffee sales reached $925.4 million in the U.S. — that’s a 31.5% increase year-over-year. Jumping on the RTD trend is a sure way to generate revenue over the coming years.

WHY IS READY-TO-DRINK COFFEE POPULAR?

RTD coffee is a popular grab-and-go option. Its biggest appeal is its convenience, since customers don’t have to brew their own coffee or wait in lines at a coffee shop for a barista to prepare their drink. Instead, all they have to do is pick what brand and flavor they want. Because RTD coffees are refrigerated, they also fall into the increasingly trendy category of cold coffee drinks.

5. PLANT-BASED, NON-DAIRY MILKS

If you have been to a coffee shop lately, you may have noticed more milk options than the usual skim or whole. Plant-based, non-dairy milks are among the newest popular coffee additions. That means anyone who doesn’t take their coffee black can now choose a non-dairy alternative to milk. And coffee drinkers have certainly been taking advantage of these alternatives.

In 2020, the market size value for non-dairy milks in general was 18.81 billion U.S. dollars. This is expected to expand to 41.06 billion U.S. dollars by 2025, showing the non-dairy milk trend is here to stay. Trends for the non-dairy milk market translate to the coffee industry, with large and local coffee shops offering various plant-based milk options. Among the non-dairy milks to rise in coffee shop trends are:

• Almond
• Soy
• Oat
• Coconut
• Hemp
• Macadamia nut

WHY ARE NON-DAIRY MILKS POPULAR?

Lactose intolerance and veganism have received more attention with the use of social media, and customers’ desire for non-dairy options have become louder. Providing an alternative to cow’s milk allows those with dietary restrictions, such as individuals with lactose intolerance or allergies and those who don’t consume animal byproducts, to add more flavor to their coffee.

Some non-dairy milks are more flavorful than regular milk or cream. They can come sweetened and flavored, providing new options for coffee creamers and syrups. Coffee shops should consider expanding their offerings to include dairy alternatives to take advantage of this trend.

6. SNAPCHILLED™ COFFEE

Snapchilled Coffee is a trendy response to cold brew, nitro coffee, and iced coffee. This product takes freshly brewed hot coffee, “snapchills” it, and cans it. You’ve likely seen premade coffee drinks in bottles and cans, so what makes this such a popular coffee? The snapchilling process preserves freshness and flavor in a way other bottling and canning processes can’t. Here’s how and why it works:

• The coffee is brewed hot. Hot water helps Snapchilled Coffee manufacturers extract all the right flavors for an authentic brewed coffee taste. The result is a can of coffee that tastes freshly brewed.
• The coffee is chilled immediately. Other coffee chilling processes take hours. Freezing, refrigerating, or adding ice can ruin the coffee’s flavor. When Snapchilled Coffee manufacturers chill the coffee immediately, they lose less flavor.
• The coffee is canned undiluted. When you have iced coffee, the ice eventually melts, diluting the beverage and ruining the flavor. Snapchilled Coffee is brewed to the right strength, so there’s no need to add anything to it. Because it’s canned, it won’t lose any flavor being transported from the factory to stores to the customer.

WHY IS SNAPCHILLED COFFEE POPULAR?

Cold coffee has been been a favorite for many customers for some time now. And with the growing popularity of RTD drinks, demand for a cold grab-and-go coffee beverage has never been higher. Snapchilled Coffee provides the best of both worlds. It comes in various roasts and flavors, giving every coffee lover something they could enjoy.

7. AT-HOME COFFEE TRENDS

The pandemic changed the majority of customers’ coffee regular consumption habits, with 85% of coffee drinkers enjoying one to two cups at home on average. Even with the shift to return to the office and in-person socializing, many have grown accustomed to their new at-home routines in 2022 — coffee time included.

This isn’t to say customers don’t love the coffee shop experience or customized drinks — they just want to emulate the at-home barista experience in the comfort of their own homes.

WHY ARE AT-HOME COFFEE TRENDS POPULAR?

Coffee industry statistics show nearly one-quarter of Americans purchased a new home coffee machine in 2020, including single-cup brewing systems. Even with a growing increase in coffee shop visits and at-work brewing station accessibility this year, most customers want to maintain the convenience and cost savings of their home coffee machine investment. When you provide high-quality blends and unique single-serve options customers can use at home, they’ll keep coming back for more.

8. HEALTHY COFFEE TRENDS

In addition to matcha coffee and non-dairy milks, customers have health-focused blends of coffee on their radar this year. Customers show a growing interest in customized blends and coffee additives that support gut health, improve immune systems, boost metabolism and increase energy:

• Incorporate health-focused additives. We can craft custom blends with additive ingredients for your health-conscious customers — supplements, vitamins, minerals, herbs, cognitive-enhancing nootropics and more.
• Consider collagen mix-ins. Customers interested in improving skin complexion, increasing hair and nails length, and relieving joint pain are turning to the growing trend of collagen peptide coffee mix-ins.
• Target espresso for the turmeric latte trend. Design delicious espresso blends for customers who blend turmeric, almond milk, honey, cinnamon, ginger, pepper and coffee to create this trending low-calorie, antioxidant-packed drink for reduced inflammation and improved brain function.
• Market mushroom coffee. This delicate combination of ground medicinal mushrooms and dark coffee beans produces a smooth, nutty brew with a unique marketing edge of improved immunity and reduced anxiety health benefits.
• Benefit from bulletproof coffee. Create high-quality blends for Keto and low-carb diet customers who combine coffee, unsalted grass-fed butter, and a medium chain triglyceride (MCT) like coconut oil to create this high-calorie drink for energy and focus.

WHY ARE HEALTHY COFFEE TRENDS POPULAR?

The health industry is as trend-driven as the coffee industry, and it makes sense the two should entwine in an overlapped market. For every new health product or diet fad that captures customers’ attention, there’s an interest in coffee options to fit with current health goals.

Stress-reducing, immune-improving, beauty-boosting, and skincare-supporting supplements are expected to grow significantly this year, so developing coffee blends with these health focuses in mind is an excellent strategy for your target markets.

9. DALGONA OR WHIPPED COFFEE

While coffee lovers shopping your products or ordering a beverage from your shop wouldn’t request instant coffee, they may be interested in its use for dalgona coffee. The name for this unique drink comes from a Korean honeycomb toffee, but you won’t find that ingredient in the recipe. Instead, dalgona coffee mimics the light texture of honeycomb toffee — thanks to the whipped instant coffee, sugar, and water used to make it.

Dalgona or whipped coffee went viral in 2020 as one of the top TikTok coffee trends, with millions of shared videos across different social media platforms showing how to prepare the frothy drink. Its unique texture and sweet flavor exploded its popularity, which is why it remains one of this year’s favorite coffee trends.

Whip equal parts of instant coffee, sugar, and hot water together to make dalgona coffee. Those making this drink often use one or two tablespoons for those ingredients, depending on how large a serving they want. Most opt for an electric mixer to make the process easier since it takes anywhere from two minutes to five minutes to create the right consistency.

The goal is to create a light, whipped coffee that’s somewhat similar to a dense whipped cream. The mixture is served over milk, sometimes with ice. To add to the presentation and enhance the flavor a bit, some sprinkle the top with cocoa, coffee powder, or crumbled cookies. Dalgona coffee is typically served with a straw to stir the whipped coffee concoction into the milk.

WHY IS DALGONA COFFEE POPULAR?

This coffee customer trend rose in popularity thanks to its social media presence and simplicity to prepare. You don’t need special equipment other than a whisk or electric mixer, which most people have already. It also puts instant coffee to good use, transforming it from a coffee quick-fix to a sweet, trendy beverage. To cater to this trend, you may consider adding instant coffee to your inventory or order it for your coffee shop business.