Top Ten Coffee Trends For 2022
Another tough year is behind us, and coffee lovers have a lot to look forward to in 2022. Knowing your market and adjusting to current demands are the key to a successful, innovative coffee business. Just like last year, here is our compilation of the top ten coffee trends for 2022, you can find out which trends are expected to shape the coffee sector and impact the coffee industry in the coming year.
1. Generation Z customers
More and more young people are drinking coffee, and an increasingly larger percentage of coffee consumers are between the age bracket of 18 to 24 years old. These Gen Z customers usually drink coffee as a part of their social activities, and generally prefer non-traditional coffee. Some tips to cater to young customers:
- Offer ready-to-drink coffee beverages, iced coffee, iced blends, etc aside from the “regular” traditional coffee
- Avoid GMO or artificial ingredients whenever possible
- Always make sure to include technology that provides consistent branding and experience
- Periodically offer treats and promotions to retain customer loyalty
2. The return of cafes
Coffee shops were one of the most adversely impacted businesses from Covid-19, as a large percentage of them were forced to close their doors during the pandemic. At present, with the vaccine rollout and ease of restrictions, we see many of them are reopening, and even new ones sprouting here and there. However, the rate of return of cafes and coffee shops are predicted to be slow, as customers have found ease in online purchases, coffee subscription, and home coffee brewing tools.
3. Coffee Tourism
A continuing trend from last year, coffee drinkers are still seeking out unique experiences of tasting coffee in authentic coffee-growing regions and witnessing the coffee harvesting as well as coffee processing methods. This trend brings an excellent opportunity for coffee roasters and cafe owners to build relationships with as well as educate their customers with these coffee tours.
4. Environmentally-friendly coffee
Sustainability and eco-friendliness remain to be high on the priority list in this coming year. Coffee aficionados want to ensure the roasted coffee beans that they buy are sustainably sourced, produced, and packaged. They want to know where the coffee comes from, how it is grown, how it is harvested, if it’s fair trade coffee and ethical. Business owners should provide clear information about the origins of their coffee beans, and use packaging that is bio-degradable, eco-friendly, and plastic-free.
5. Coffee cans and bottles
As people’s mobility increases over time, the demand for ready-to-go coffee is also on the rise. We expect to see more and more canned and bottled coffee in convenience stores, grocery stores, and vending machines. These types of coffee beverages are also popular with the younger customers.
6. New spin on coffee
People are always finding new and better ways to enjoy the things they love, including coffee. In 2020 we will see more creative ways to brew and serve coffee, such as nitro brewed coffee (coffee fused with nitrogen), koji-fermented coffee (using a particular mold to ferment green coffee), hard coffee (mixing coffee with alcohol), healthy coffee (such as mushroom coffee and chicory root coffee), and many more.
7. New unique blends
Made by mixing together two or more single-origin coffees, blends are considered a cost-effective way to improve flavor complexity. Each coffee roastery has its own unique blends, and in 2022 we can expect to see more creative blends from baristas, professional coffee roasters, and coffee roaster machine experts. People are starting to take coffee blends more seriously, and online marketplaces have many options for unique coffee blends.
8. Superior quality coffee
Specialty coffee has been trendy for the past few years now, and its popularity is certainly not declining. With the ease of online shopping, customers can conveniently search for the best coffee that they can find, particularly that one small batch of single-origin coffee with a distinctive taste, has a great back story, and is sustainably sourced. Cafe owners should do well to join an online marketplace to reach a bigger market for their superior quality coffee.
9. Milk alternatives
The demand for milk alternatives continues to grow, as more and more people discover that plant-based milk brings a richer flavor to the coffee. The demand for soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk, nut milk, and other plant-based milk substitutes will continue to grow and be a staple in every cafe.
10. Coffee subscription
As we are experiencing waves of different Covid-19 varieties, the workforce is alternating between limited working hours at the office and working from home. With people brewing craft cups of coffee to accompany their work, coffee subscriptions remain popular in 2022. Customers are still looking for more options and finding new favorite roasted coffee that can be delivered to their homes.
For coffee roasters, it is imperative to stay on top of the latest trends of the industry. In addition to giving your business a competitive edge, keeping with the trends ensures that you are resilient and ready for any changes in the market. Current trends in the coffee industry can bring a positive impact on your business, so be sure you use these trends to your advantage.