Coffee is popular and a necessity that people need for the early or late mornings, we can’t imagine starting a day without a cuppa. Similarly to anything popular, coffee has trends every year. Here are some coffee trends to keep an eye out for in 2023.

1. Natural sweeteners 

With everyone starting to ease into the new year we want to try to maintain a few of our goals, one of which is to stay healthier for the year. A coffee trend that we can try out is to replace our refined sugar with a natural sweetener. 

 

There is a wide variety of natural sugars that can replace refined sugar, such as coconut sugar, monk fruit sweetener, stevia, and maple syrup. The best part about this trend is that if you don’t enjoy the taste of one sweetener, you can always choose a different one. 

2. Younger client base 

Millennials and the older portion of Generation Z are making their mark in the corporate world. Becoming more prominent figures in the corporate world means one thing, they are also going to be primary customers as well.

 

Admittedly, Generation Z are not the biggest fans of traditionals coffee such as espresso, but they do enjoy specialty coffees. To keep up with the primary customer base coffee shops will have cold brews and creamers for them, however, they will also need to provide more options. 

3. Wider range of milk alternatives

As Millennials and Generation Z are going to become the primary customer base it is important to keep in mind that Millennials are also the most health conscious of the two.

 

For coffee shops to  appeal to a broader customer base they need to have a wider range of milk alternatives. Showcasing alternatives such as almond or oat milk at a cafe can give the impression that you are aware of dietary restrictions and makes the brand appear more socially responsible. 

4. Sustainable coffee 

An aspect that cafes are taking into account is whether the coffee beans they are using are sustainably sourced.  As more people are becoming aware of the impact their companies’ purchases have on the environment and communities.  

 

Buying coffee beans that are sustainably sourced through fair trade shows customers that the coffee is high quality, there is fair pay and good working conditions for farmers, and it is ethically sourced. Customers seeing that the coffee is sustainably sourced eases their minds and makes the coffee taste just a bit sweeter. 

 

5. Aesthetic coffee shops

Coffee shops all look different but have the same aspects that make a customer feel like they are in a cafe. Coffee equipment on top of the coffee bar, wooden tables that can sit one or two people, a sitting area consisting of lounge chairs, and sleek coffee mugs and cups. 

 

These are the basic elements of what makes a coffee shop, and they are also the elements that might change a bit this year. Customers want to be in groups where they can simply catch up and talk. The younger customer base also want items that are aesthetically pleasing, such as colourful interior or intricate designs on mugs. 

6. Coffee of the go

The one place people want to spend less time in is at home. Admittedly, we all can be home bodies sometimes, but overall people are more on the go now. They are either travelling to work or just going to different areas to work or relax a bit with friends. This makes canned or bottled coffee a necessity.

 

Why don’t people just order coffee to go? Coffee cups are not as convenient as they used to be, with the summer heat making it inconvenient to drink hot coffee, cool canned coffee is a better bet.  To make coffee more convenient for busy bodies who want to cool down, coffee brands are making bottled or canned coffee more accessible.    

7. Fancy coffee is back in style 

Appealing to coffee lovers can be done in numerous ways, from sweet coffee treats, such as candy cane coffee served during the holiday season, to having taste testing events. There are different ways to gain coffee lovers attention.

A coffee shop can have new brewing methods that change the flavour of the coffee entirely, or they can have speciality drinks that only they serve. Experimenting with coffee can be a fun opportunity to test out new techniques and flavour combinations, why not give it a try?

8. Eco-conscious Coffee shops

With the rise in scheduled power outages here in South Africa, it is safe to say that some stores are going to have to invest in alternative electricity sources to keep up with demand. Instead of relying on generators, can take this as an opportunity to make an environmentally conscious decision. 

 

We are all trying to do our part to help the environment and in the case of coffee shops that can be through using solar power. Not only will this help the environment but it will also be a long term investment. 

 

Coffee is able to change in small ways that makes a big difference to the industry, let’s keep an eye out for some of these trends this year.