3 trends you need to know for 2024
With 2024 around the corner, you need to stay on top of the latest trends to keep customers coming through the door. Here are our top spots
Know your coffee and entice more customers into your venue
From bean origins to how customers like their lattes, here are some tips to elevate your coffee offering
After drinking her first espresso aged three, Jo Walsh-Scott has been a Coffee Training Specialist for 25 years, seven of them with Nestlé.
Make it an emotional experience
Enjoying a quality, fresh coffee with friends is increasingly a treat. So it’s vital the whole experience leaves your guests feeling pampered. Kind and polite staff, comfortable seating, cleanliness and a warm, welcoming environment all complement your value-for-money coffee proposition. Train your team in customer service. They’ll be happier and pass on the vibe to your guests.
Match customer palates
Science meets art when it comes to the perfect coffee, so don’t skimp on equipment. The right water, pressure and grind size are as important as using fresh beans. Understand your customers’ tastes and choose beans from regions with the right tasting notes. A balanced bitter-and-sweet profile is a reliable signature starter for most UK coffee lovers, but a second bean that you can rotate each week will keep your menu fresh
and interesting.
Although most health-conscious coffee drinkers would rather cut down on their daily intake than choose decaffeinated, 36% would appreciate the option. Putting decaf beans on the menu means you won’t lose out.
Stay on top of trends
Latte leads the way in sales, and this year we’ll see plant-based milk challenge dairy to surpass their current 40% share. Almond and oat are still the UK’s most popular alternatives followed by soy, coconut and pea protein. They are now drunk by one in three people* for their health benefits.
TikTok-inspired iced coffees with gingerbread,
vanilla or caramel syrups are a boom area for the next generation of drinkers. Great latte artwork is another major Insta-worthy trend. So if your team magic up dragons, swans, tulips, and portraits in their pour, it’s sure to wow your guests.
Click here for Caramel Latte recipe.
Beans vs instant
Beans pros
- Rich and intense profile
- Freshly ground beans mean stronger aroma and quality
- Perfect for coffee purists who like to try drinks from around the world
Beans cons
- Getting a return on investing in good equipment
- Longer preparation time
- Making sure beans are stored well and kept fresh
Instant pros
- Convenient, lower price point and improved margin
- Longer shelf life, so less waste
- The sophisticated Nescafé Azera combines instant coffee and microgrind roast coffee beans for an intense aroma and beautiful crema
Instant cons
Lacks intensity compared to beans
Less complex flavour
Has less of a caffeine kick
Share your sustainability story
Shouting about your sustainability credentials will attract environmentally conscious customers and boost your brand image. Tell the story of your beans, where they came from and what drinking the grower’s coffee will mean to their family. Having pictures of the grower and their beans’ journey to your cup makes great artwork.
Offering discounts for customers with reusable cups, promoting your eco-friendly packaging and other organic products that go with a brew are other ways you can win from being green.
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