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SD Coffee Tea And NRN Tap Restaurant Operators To Determine Top 2020 Beverage Trends

CONCORD, NC -- S&D Coffee & Tea , a leading coffee roaster and beverage supplier based here, recently teamed up with Nation's Restaurant News to predict the top beverage trends most likely to appear on restaurant menus in 2020. Drawn from a comprehensive survey commissioned among restaurant operators nationwide, along with an in-depth audit of market insights and testimonials from influential industry insiders, the report is diverse in its findings. Trends range from the nitrogenation of coffee ...

January 19, 2020 by Emily Jed

CONCORD, NC -- S&D Coffee & Tea, a leading coffee roaster and beverage supplier based here, recently teamed up with Nation's Restaurant News to predict the top beverage trends most likely to appear on restaurant menus in 2020. Drawn from a comprehensive survey commissioned among restaurant operators nationwide, along with an in-depth audit of market insights and testimonials from influential industry insiders, the report is diverse in its findings.

Trends range from the nitrogenation of coffee to an increased demand for sustainable sourcing. Overall, the trends revealed in this report offer insights into what beverage menus will look like in 2020 and beyond.

The following is a summary of three of the top beverage trends included in the 2020 report:

The nitrogenation of cold brew:Nitrogenation (permeating liquid with nitrogen) is gaining popularity among coffee drinkers for its smooth and creamy mouthfeel and is popping up everywhere from independent coffee shops to convenience chains. In addition to coffee, tea is being nitrogenated with increasing frequency. Expect to see even more beverages (e.g. lemonade, aguas frescas) follow suit.

Sustainable sourcing: About 20% of operators take sustainability issues (such as fair-trade sourcing) into account when deciding what beverages to serve, and nearly double that number recognize sustainability as a growing trend. This is directly in response to growing consumer demand for sustainably sourced ingredients, especially within the coffee industry. In light of this movement, many American coffee roasters are shifting away from commodity product and toward beans sourced directly from farmers or farming collectives.

Drinks that sparkle: As consumers seek out alternatives to traditional soda, and seltzer popularity continues to surge, operators are making their own carbonated drinks and also serving smaller-production "craft" sodas. When surveyed, 20% of operators predict the emergence of carbonated coffees and teas in 2020.

Additionally, the report takes a deeper dive into the following seven trends:

Next-level frozen beverages: Frozen mixology technique called "switching"

Beverages with added health benefits:Drinks containing adaptogens, protein and MCT oil

CBD in beverages: CBD in coffee and tea specifically

Revitalized energy drinks: Performance beverages that are more complex

H2O-plus: Water with added benefits

Plant-based drinks: Beverages exclusively derived from plants

Better-for-you booze: Alcohol-free adult beverages

"It's an exciting time to be in the beverage industry," said S&D president and chief executive Ron Hinson. "As Americans seek out beverages with more benefits, suppliers and operators have the opportunity to innovate and develop new solutions that will appeal to this increasingly savvy consumer."

"Beverages have long been high-margin items, but it has always been a struggle to convince customers to upgrade from free tap water," added Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation's Restaurant News. "The insights in this report will help provide foodservice operators with the tools they need to give their guests drinks that they're eager to buy."

How the beverage industry evolves in 2020 will be influenced by many factors and the trends uncovered in this 2019 report will no doubt be in the mix.