Over the last decade, I have had the privilege of watching the US retail coffee market unfold and it has been quite a journey. Today, I invite you to sit back, relax and open a can of your favourite coffee as we reflect on where the market has been, where it is now and where it’s going next. 

RTD coffee was first introduced in the US in the 1950s but didn’t fully resonate with consumers until forty years later. In the mid-1990s, an icon was born: the Starbucks bottled Frappuccino. This sweet, creamy, indulgent coffee beverage set the tone for what would be the RTD coffee space for over two decades. 

The early 2000s saw a surge in the popularity of RTD coffee, with consumers increasingly interested in convenient on-the-go coffee options to fit busy lifestyles. Companies such as PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, and Nestlé began to invest heavily, launching products and acquiring existing brands. This helped the market nearly double from USD $450 million in 2001 to $850 million by 2005 (market size of canned and bottled RTD coffee from 2001 to 2015. Statista.com. 2017, February). 

By 2013, the market was valued at $1.5 billion (per Nielsen) and was still exhibiting decent growth rates. But change was in the air. Consumers were becoming more health conscious and seeking alternative canned or bottled coffees that offered less sugar, less dairy and more coffee-forward flavour. Enter cold brew. What many predicted to be a passing fad quickly exploded into a multi-million-dollar segment of the category that transformed the RTD coffee landscape. 

Cold brew has proven itself to be more than just a fad and has gained market share currently at over 20% of the total RTD coffee market. In just ten years it has gained nearly a quarter of an entire category. In fact, in recent years we have seen multiple variations: flavoured, nitro, dairy alternatives and most recently the explosive growth in multi-serve (32 ounces or above) cold brew coffee. 

What does the future hold? As consumers become increasingly educated about coffee and interest in new products grows, we expect to see impressive year-on-year growth and – importantly – increased opportunities for brands. Here are three trends I think you should keep an eye on: 

1. Multi-serve momentum carries on. Multi-serve coffee has been on the market for a decade, but its popularity exploded during the pandemic. As consumers have begun to realise they can get great coffee at an affordable price to enjoy at home, expect this segment to see even more growth in the coming years. 
2. Natural energy will continue to steal share. With younger consumers becoming increasingly proactive over their health and wellness, they are turning to more ‘natural’ products for cleaner ways to consume food and beverage. This creates an opportunity for more coffee-based ‘energy’ drinks to steal share from the traditional products in this market. 
3. Private label potential. Private label coffee is sometimes equated to lesser quality. Yet consumers have started to see the potential across categories in private label and coffee is no exception. As shoppers become increasingly cost-conscious and aware of the premiumisation of private label coffee, they will start to seek out these products to fill a gap as a cost-effective solution. 

• Stacy DeMars is marketing manager for Finlays Americas, a division of Finlays, a leading independent B2B manufacturer and supplier of tea, coffee and botanicals.

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Founder and CEO Sahra Nguyen said, “In a category often called “crowded,” we’re thrilled to be recognised for our product innovations offering more flavour and function to consumers through our focus on robusta coffee as a core ingredient and differentiator.”

In 2023, Nguyen Coffee Supply became the first Vietnamese coffee ready-to-drink brand to receive national distribution from Whole Foods Market. Nguyen Coffee Supply also ships direct-to-customers in all 50 states and internationally to Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Singapore, and the UK and is available online on Amazon. Products are also available in restaurants and cafés in New York City, Washington D.C., Seattle, Kansas City and sold in FreshDirect, Gorillas, and Weee!

Nguyen Coffee Supply is leading the way and ushering in the next wave of coffee culture rooted in uplifting the robusta coffee species and historically marginalised coffee communities around the world. Importing directly from the source and roasting in Brooklyn, New York, Nguyen Coffee Supply’s mission is to transform the coffee industry through diversity, sustainability and cultural integrity. Founded in 2018 by 1st generation entrepreneur-activist Sahra Nguyen, the company’s mission is to elevate robusta coffee (the dominant coffee bean grown in Vietnam), while building a diverse and inclusive coffee culture for all.

Nguyen Coffee Supply’s latest product innovation, the Vietnamese coffee Ready to Drink (RTD), is now available in over 1,000 retail doors nationally.

Nguyen Coffee Supply can be enjoyed in a wide array of styles including the traditional cà phê sữa đá (Vietnamese coffee with sweetened condensed milk and ice) as well as the pour over, Chemex, French press, drip, and espresso.

Learn more at Nguyen Coffee Supply.

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Solo Coffee is a ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee company that supplies many of the UK’s major hospitality groups, selling in over 2,000 outlets across the UK, as well as being available on Amazon and Ocado.

After years of working in specialty coffee and winning a UK national barista award, founders Theo Garcia and Alex Foss Sims decided to apply their expertise to create a finished product which would be readily available to all lovers of good coffee. Solo Coffee Concentrate is barista quality, ready-to-serve, espresso strength coffee which can be used for all coffee serves. This ready-to-drink coffee is most frequently used as a base for espresso martinis, iced lattes, and cold brew coffee drinks enabling customers such as bars, restaurants and hotels to consistently offer coffee-based cocktails of high quality on a cost-effective basis.

Funds raised by Solo Coffee will be used to support the company’s entry and expansion into the US hospitality industry. The company is in discussion with some of the largest state distributors and restaurant chains in the US and has already been contracted to supply the Hollywood actor, Millie Bobby Brown’s, coffee brand “Florence by Mills.”

Warren Scott, founder of Kliro Capital Partners, said, “We are delighted to have invested in Solo Coffee. Solo is a young dynamic business led by Theo and Alex who have an extraordinary passion for coffee. Their mission is simple, to make great quality barista coffee available to all. Kliro Capital Partners is committed to the pursuit of excellence in the drinks industry, and this is a further step in our strategy to support entrepreneurial businesses looking to shape their industries.”

Theo Garcia, co-founder of Solo Coffee, said “We are extremely excited to have Kliro Capital Partners joining the Solo Coffee team. From the first conversation we had with Warren and the team, I knew that they could be the perfect partner to support our business. With years of relevant experience, we felt that we had found the optimal fit. Although we are at the start of our relationship, I have no doubt that Kliro will add tremendous value to the business. Finding an investor has been difficult for us as we believe a partner should ideally be able to support in multiple ways, not just financial. Fortunately, Kliro Capital Partners are able to offer value in many different areas.”

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“We knew we had the opportunity to create something special when we saw the positive response to our previous seasonal collaborations for Dunkin’-inspired beers. The growing appetite for adult beverages inspired us to put a twist on our customers’ favourite Dunkin’ Iced Coffee, Iced Tea and Refresher flavours,” said Brian Gilbert, vice president of retail business development at Dunkin’. “Dunkin’ Spiked […] comes in eight distinct flavours, available in grocery and package stores later this month. This new line of ready-to-drink adult beverages elevates Dunkin’s offerings, and we know our 21+ fans will love every sip.”

Dunkin’ Spiked Iced Coffee has an ABV of 6%, drawing inspiration from the brand’s coffee flavours. Dunkin’ Spiked Iced Tea, the brand’s first venture into the hard tea category, has an ABV of 5% and offers four signature flavours.

The four Dunkin’ Spiked Iced Coffees varieties include:

• Dunkin’ Spiked Original Iced Coffee
• Dunkin’ Spiked Caramel Iced Coffee
• Dunkin’ Spiked Mocha Iced Coffee
• Dunkin’ Spiked Vanilla Iced Coffee

These can be purchased as:

• A 12-can mix pack (three 12 oz. cans of each flavour)
• Four-pack of 12 oz. Original Spiked Iced Coffee cans
• Single 19.2 oz. Original Spiked Iced Coffee cans

The four Dunkin’ Spiked Iced Teas varieties include:

• Dunkin’ Spiked Slightly Sweet Iced Tea
• Dunkin’ Spiked Half & Half Iced Tea
• Dunkin’ Spiked Strawberry Dragonfruit Iced Tea Refresher
• Dunkin’ Spiked Mango Pineapple Iced Tea Refresher

These can be purchased as:

• A 12-can mix pack (three 12 oz. cans of each flavour)
• Six-pack of 12 oz. Slightly Sweet Spiked Iced Tea cans
• Single 19.2 oz. Slightly Sweet Spiked Iced Tea cans

Consumers can find the Dunkin’ Spiked Iced Teas in grocery and package stores starting late August, while the Dunkin’ Spiked Iced Coffees will debut in early September. These beverages will be available in retailers across Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont. To locate nearby stores, consumers can use the product finder on dunkinspiked.com. Notably, the Dunkin’ Spiked line of products will not be available at Dunkin’ restaurant locations.

To stay updated on the latest happenings at Dunkin’ Spiked, visit DunkinSpiked.com or subscribe to the Dunkin’ newsroom to receive notifications at news.dunkindonuts.com.

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Bizzy Cold Brew’s elevated rebrand, which was designed by Los Angeles-based creative agency Day Job, now clearly communicates the quality of its product line, from its craft-brewed process, stronger taste, high caffeine content and zero sugar in all its brews. Unlike competitors who hide or omit caffeine content from bottles, Bizzy Cold Brew moved its caffeine content to the front of the bottle, directly on the pour spot, to be more transparent with consumers about caffeine per serving. The shape of the bottle has also been changed to improve pourability for its consumers.

“We wanted our new look to elevate our visual identity and clearly communicate our craft product. With nods to an era when quality was the rule and not the exception, Bizzy Cold Brew’s superior taste and higher caffeine content makes it the best value for coffee lovers,” said Alex French, CEO and co-founder of Bizzy Cold Brew. “Bizzy Cold Brew is an affordable luxury and we’re excited that the branding now embodies our values and will stand out on shelves.”

Bizzy Cold Brew’s product lineup includes a variety of craft-brewed products, from unsweetened ready-to-drink, multi-serve bottles of cold brew to coarse grounds that can be brewed at home and convenient, eco-friendly brew bags. Bizzy Cold Brew is crafted using a unique brew process to ensure the smoothest taste and highest caffeine, with USDA Certified Organic Arabica coffee beans from Central and South America.

The Minneapolis, Minnesota-based brand is also committed to sustainable practices in all areas of its operations. The brand’s cold brew bottles are made of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic (excluding the cap) and it composts spent coffee grounds (650,000 pounds last year alone). Bizzy Cold Brew recycles and repurposes 100% of its burlap coffee bean sacks and its roaster utilises after-burner technology to eliminate airborne emissions from roasting.

Bizzy Cold Brew’s RTD products are available in more than 5,000 grocery stores across the United States. Its cold brew bags and grounds are also available for purchase on the Bizzy Cold Brew website and Amazon.com.

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Housed in colourful and decorative cans, Chamberlain Coffee’s flavour line-up includes Mocha Latte, Cinnamon Bun Latte, Vanilla Latte and a traditional Cold Brew Latte. Each of the four flavours are naturally sweetened with date syrup, containing only 1g of sugar, and dairy-free, made with almond milk & coconut cream.

“I don’t believe convenience should sacrifice quality. I developed these canned lattes for people who want to enjoy a delicious, high-quality latte, even on the busiest of days. This launch, inspired by my daily cold brew recipe, is especially exciting for me because it’s a product I have been dreaming of making since we started the brand,” said Chamberlain Coffee founder, creative director and investor, Emma Chamberlain. “We’re inspired by all of the ways you can enjoy coffee, and are eager to continue exploring innovative coffee products.”

Chamberlain Coffee has become a force within the coffee industry since its inception in 2020. With the constant production of new, fan-requested products (from unique coffee flavours to expansion into the tea category), the brand is demonstrating its ability to tap into audience needs. 

“Making Chamberlain Coffee accessible to customers whenever, wherever they are is always the goal and this new product is helping us do just that,” said Chamberlain Coffee CEO, Christopher Gallant. “We’re thrilled to have Walmart as our exclusive retail partner for launch and look forward to this new, delicious product being available to customers, conveniently nationwide.”

Consumers can find Chamberlain Coffee’s RTD beverages launching exclusively at Walmart in the ready to drink coffee section. For more information on Chamberlain Coffee, and to stay up to date on the latest product launches, follow on Instagram at @chamberlaincoffee.

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As the popularity of cold brew continues to rise, and coffee drinkers look for easy-yet-elevated coffee options that suit a grab-and-go lifestyle, Lavazza says its new cold brew cans offer a premier way to enjoy the popular beverage in both dairy and non-dairy options. The ready-to-drink cans will debut with four styles including Classic Cold Brew, Nitro Cold Brew, Cappuccino Cold Brew with Milk, and Double Shot Cold Brew with Oat Milk. Each can offers premium flavour profiles, from fruity aromas to tastes of nutty, creamy chocolate, helping to elevate a category that traditionally focuses on the inclusion of dairy products and sweeter profiles. Lavazza’s ready-to-drink cold brew is the only one of its kind to be made with USDA Certified Organic, Rainforest Alliance Certified, 100% Arabica coffee.

“Premium, organic, ready-to-drink coffee is growing at a rate nearly 39% faster than packaged coffee.* This is due in part to younger, American coffee drinkers’ preference for cold and iced coffees, which makes this market one of the most dynamic,” says Davide Riboni, CEO of Lavazza US. “We’re always thinking about what’s next for coffee drinkers and are confident that our new ready-to-drink cold brew will attract a new class of coffee connoisseurs who value premium taste and quality.”

The new ready-to-drink cans feature distinctive imagery, transporting consumers to four iconic Italian cities and regions. With each sip of Classic Cold Brew, coffee lovers will stroll along the canals of Venice. The smooth, refreshing rush of Nitro Cold Brew is reminiscent of the waves crashing against the walls of the Blue Grotto of Capri. Just as Tuscany’s majestic Cypress landscaping blends history and beauty, Cappuccino Cold Brew with Milk combines the sweet, creamy taste of milk with a cocoa aroma. The bustling streets of Milan – the heart of Italy’s revolutionary fashion and design – come alive with the balance of smooth, creamy oat milk and sweet, chocolaty aroma of espresso in Double Shot Cold Brew with Oat Milk.

All four flavours of ready-to-drink cold brew cans are available for $3.49 MSRP and can be purchased at select Lavazza cafes, Lavazza.us, Amazon.com, Eataly and other retailers where you typically find Lavazza coffee on shelves.

For more information, visit: lavazza.us or @LavazzaUSA.

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Premiumization is one of the most important drivers in the majority of developed markets. Almost all categories of products have two strands that serve different purposes. The rise of the middle class is reportedly driving the trend of affordable luxury.

More customers now have the means to elevate ordinary moments. Despite the uncertainty, consumer sentiment is rising, and consumers are experimenting with new flavour profiles and product categories.

The desire for knowledge and transparency about how and what we consume has also encouraged premiumization, which is driven by the value-driven millennial consumer who wishes to demonstrate their opinions through inconspicuous consumption. The second driver, absolute luxury, on the other hand, is a sign of exclusivity, says FMI.

It has evolved from overt displays of money to consumers displaying culture capital, exclusivity, and knowledge, all of which make for compelling stories. This strand represents the true ‘rich person,’ who wishes to prove wealth but in a less tangible, ‘meaningful’ way.

It manifests itself in a stronger desire to attempt to buy goods with an interesting story, craft credentials, clout, and provenance in the beverage industry. People are not overspending or recklessly spending, but their individual budgets now also include spendable money. It’s a low-cost luxury, and premiumization is on the rise.

Some key takeaways from the  FMI market study:

• The market is segmented based on nature, wherein the conventional ready-to-drink coffee is anticipated to account for around 87% of the market share over the forecast period.
• The North American ready-to-drink coffee market is anticipated to dominate the global market with a market share of around 29% in 2022.
• On the basis of type, original ready-to-drink coffee is expected to hold a prominent share in 2022, but flavoured ready-to-drink coffee is expected to witness a lucrative growth rate over the forecast period.
• Growing obesity rates among adults and children, busy lifestyles, unhealthy diets among adults and children, and tight working time are all factors driving consumers toward healthier options of convenience food. Ready-to-drink coffee is another functional drink that has been shown to have nutritional benefits. As the diabetic population and calorie-conscious consumers look for alternatives to sugar in their drinks, the rate of priority for antioxidant-enriched beverages among them is increasing.

“The key players operating in the global ready-to-drink coffee market are focusing on strengthening its distribution channel, partnership, merger & acquisition to reach larger consumer base,” says a research analyst at Future Market Insights.

Competitive Landscape

Companies are focusing on launching innovative drink blends with different flavours such as chocolate, vanilla, various milk flavours, customised sugar and ice level drinks and so on in order to attract the Gen-Z and millennial segment. Millennials are known for their eagerness to try new innovative flavours, which creates an opportunity for producers to introduce new flavoured ready-to-drink coffee to the market. The following are some noteworthy market developments:

• As part of the global coffee alliance, Seattle-based Starbucks and Swiss food and beverage giant Nestlé will launch ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee products in Oceania, Latin America, and Southeast Asia by 2022.

These insights are based on a report on Ready to Drink Coffee Market by Future Market Insights. Access the report here.

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Competition in the United States ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee category continues to heat up, with cold brew increasingly represented among new entries. Globally, the category reached USD $114 billion in 2020 according to Dublin, Ireland-based Research and Markets, which expects the market to grow at compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5 per cent from 2021-2026.

The market research firm attributes changing lifestyles, increasing spending capacities and shifting dietary preferences of consumers as the primary drivers of category growth.

“Consumers are increasingly preferring food and beverages that require minimum time to prepare and can be consumed on-the-go,” the company stated in announcing its 2021 research report on the category. “The canned and bottled packaging of these beverages are also adding to the convenience of consumers, thereby increasing their overall demand.”

Category leader pushes adoption curve

With an already robust portfolio of ready-to-drink coffee products created under its 27-year-old North American Coffee Partnership with PepsiCo, Starbucks found itself intrigued by 2020 consumer purchasing data from Information Resources, Inc. identifying that 72 per cent of US households had never tried a RTD coffee product. The company said sales of its RTD products under that partnership grew 14 per cent in 2020, providing dual incentives to address.

What were these untapped customers seeking that was not already offered in the well-served marketplace, where a plethora of cold coffee offerings has built a significant category in recent years?

To answer that question, Starbucks Coffee – the RTD category leader holding a 61 per cent share in 2020, but down from 63 per cent in 2019 according to London-based global market intelligence firm, Euromonitor International – embarked on what it calls its “biggest body of research yet” to identify the unmet desires of RTD holdouts.

The company said the findings were clear: a desire for the smooth coffee taste profile that has propelled cold brew into the spotlight, a ‘splash’ of milk and flavour, lower sugar and calorie content than other category offerings, skip the preservatives, and an ‘accessible’ price point.

Manpreet Cheema, senior product developer on Starbucks R&D team, said the goal was to keep the lightly sweetened beverage under 100 calories and zone in on the best roast profile, narrowed down over months of tastings and consumer tests. Feedback revealed that less acidic cold brew has become increasingly appealing to those not currently drinking RTD coffee, and provided the desired complexity, balanced profile, and rounded taste for the new line.

Rolled out last year through mass, grocery and convenience store channels as Starbucks Cold & Crafted, the new line debuted in three varieties: Coffee with a Splash of Milk & Vanilla, Coffee with a Splash of Milk & Mocha and Coffee Sweetened Black. The suggested retail price was set lower than most RTD options on the market at under $3 per 11-ounce bottle.

Meanwhile, Starbucks continued its model of translating popular in-store beverages into RTD versions for grocery channels with the addition of Dark Cocoa Sweet Cream Nitro Cold Brew, expanding the store-inspired platform that launched in in 2020, as well as Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew, offered in both 11-ounce single serve and, in a 40-ounce multi-serve.

Dunkin’ through its own collaboration with The Coca-Cola Company that began in 2017, leveraged a strong branding opportunity with the launch of RTD bottled iced coffee last year. Produced and distributed by Coca-Cola using Arabica coffee blends with real milk and sugar, the new flavours are inspired by three of the most iconic Girl Scout Cookie varieties: Thin Mints, Coconut Caramel, and the S’mores (graham cracker, chocolate, and marshmallow notes), available in 13.7-oz bottles and joining the existing Dunkin’-branded bottled Iced Coffee varieties of French vanilla, mocha and original.

RTD and health

Fast-moving Super Coffee, the number three bottled coffee brand in the US behind Starbucks and Dunkin’, pioneered what Research and Markets now describes as an entire vibrant “better-for-you” beverage segment within RTD. Company revenue grew 106 per cent from $4 million in 2018, to $55 million in 2020, and its products are distributed to 40,000 stores across America.

“Super Coffee was born from the idea of removing negative ingredients and replacing them with positive ingredients,” explained company COO Jordan DeCicco, one of three brothers – all former NCAA Division 1 student athletes – who co-founded the company in 2015. Eschewing added sugar and instead utilising no-calorie monk fruit as a sweetener, the company’s RTD offerings draw from a range of ingredients including vitamins, protein, MCT oil, L-theanine for easing stress and 3/3 antioxidants.

One line is formulated with lactose-free milk and offered in mocha, vanilla, hazelnut, and white chocolate peppermint in 340gm PET bottles. A plant-based line is offered in coconut mocha, French vanilla, sweet cream, or unsweetened versions in 11-oz cans, while Super Espresso comes in 6-oz cans in vanilla, caramel or unsweetened triple shot.

Named as the fastest growing beverage company by Inc in 2020, Super Coffee has tapped a deep roster of professional athletes and celebrities as brand advocates and ambassadors. In 2020, global superstar Jennifer Lopez and baseball legend turned businessman Alex Rodriguez became minority owners in Kitu Life, Inc., the makers of Super Coffee. Last year, Super Coffee celebrated National Coffee Day in the US by sharing its trade secrets and challenging RTD market leaders and all competitors to stop using added sugars in their own products.

Coffee for a cause

Another unique, rapidly growing player in the RTD market in the US is Black Rifle Coffee Company (BRCC), founded in 2014 by former United States Army Special Forces member (known as ‘Green Berets’) Evan Hafer, a passionate coffee lover who travelled with his coffee grinder while serving in the Iraq war. He began roasting for friends after returning home to civilian life, but it wasn’t long before he turned it into a business with the mission of serving US military veterans, active military, and first responders, directly funding veteran causes even before he was able to draw a salary for himself from the fledgling company. Fast-forward five years, and BRCC posted USD $82 million in revenue in 2019, nearly entirely from direct-to-consumer operations of military-themed ground coffee sold through the company’s website.

After launching its first RTD coffee in cans in 2020, revenues doubled to $164 million in that year, and were on track to hit USD $230 million in 2021, elevating BRCC to the number four position in the US RTD coffee sector. Scaling rapidly over the past two years, the company’s RTD coffees are currently sold in over 40,000 locations across convenience, grocery, and drug stores as well as mass retailers.

Black Rifle Coffee Company Espresso is a premium product made from 100 per cent Colombian coffee with 200mg caffeine per 11-oz can. It is lightly sweetened to balance its ‘coffee-forward’ flavours while maintaining lower sugar content than similar products. It is gluten free, a ‘good’ source of protein, and offered in either espresso mocha or espresso with cream flavours.

The company recently extended its RTD offerings with the launch of Espresso 300, which contains 300mg of caffeine per 15oz can and an ‘energising blend’ of MCT oil and amino acids. It’s available in caramel vanilla and rich mocha versions.

• E Edward ‘Ted’ Hoyt has more than two decades of experience as a trade magazine editor and freelance writer, authoring many articles in the premium coffee, spirits and cigar industries, among others.

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Emmi Caffè Latte, one of the leading ready-to-drink iced coffee brands in Europe, has started to incorporate chemically recycled polypropylene into its packaging. The cups are produced by Greiner Packaging and the chemically recycled material comes from Borealis, one of the world’s leading providers of advanced and circular polyolefin solutions based in Vienna, Austria.

Emmi, Switzerland’s largest milk processor is committed to climate protection and the circular economy. The dairy company has the stated goal to make all of its packaging 100% recyclable and is committed to various measures to promote circularity such as packaging that contains at least 30% recyclate by 2027. Focusing on recyclable packaging and the use of recycled materials, Emmi is taking a first step with its successful Emmi Caffè Latte, brand.

From September 2021, Emmi’s successful brand of chilled coffee drinks, Emmi Caffè Latte, will use at least 100 tonnes of plastic based on the recycled material each year. Chemical recycling renews plastic back to plastic creating recycled materials with a level of purity equivalent to fossil-fuel based PP and hence, fit for protective, food-safe and other demanding applications. In this way, Emmi is utilising difficult to recycle feedstock preventing plastic waste that would be likely landfilled or incinerated. In the future, depending on the availability of suitable material, the amount of recycled plastic in Emmi Caffè Latte, packaging is to be further increased.

The new technology to recover the polypropylene is currently still in its infancy, where Greiner Packaging and Borealis are leading the way. Only limited quantities of chemically recycled polypropylene are currently available, and Emmi is one of only a few food manufacturers to have secured a share of the chemically recycled polypropylene plastic through its early commitment and long-standing collaboration with the development companies.

“It takes joint efforts by food and packaging manufacturers to reduce waste and make measurable progress in the circular economy,” says Bendicht Zaugg, who is responsible for Sustainable Packaging at Emmi.

“We have had a long and rewarding partnership with both Emmi and Borealis,” says Greiner Packaging key account manager Vincenzo Crescenza. “This achievement is in line with our stated goal to work towards achieving a circular economy. Our strategy is to develop innovative products, develop new service partnerships and business models, and pioneer materials partnerships.”

“Borealis looks forward to a world without plastic waste,” says Trevor Davis, head of marketing, Consumer Products at Borealis. “The chemically recycled polypropylene used in this new Emmi Caffè Latte, cup is manufactured with Borealis Borcycle C portfolio of transformational chemical recycling solutions, giving polyolefin-based, post-consumer waste another life. It offers all-round benefits enabling the transition to a circular polyolefin industry whilst creating virgin quality plastic products. By staying true to our EverMinds ambition of accelerating action on circularity, together with our valuable partners along the whole value chain such as Emmi and Greiner Packaging, we are reinventing for a more sustainable living.”

The chemically recycled material used for Emmi Caffè Latte, cup consists entirely and solely of ISCC (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) material, on a mass balance basis. Mass balance is a methodology that makes it possible to track the amount and sustainability characteristics of circular and/or bio-based content in the value chain and through each step of the process. This provides transparency ultimately also to the consumers, enabling them to know that the product they are buying is based on this renewable material.

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“Our partnership with Starbucks has confirmed Nestlé’s leading position in the global coffee business,” said David Rennie, head of Nestlé Coffee Brands. The 2020 sales of Starbucks products reached CHF 2.7 billion, a double-digit organic growth compared to 2019. “With our expansion plans into RTD coffee, Nestlé will continue to build on its global leadership in coffee and will benefit from new growth opportunities in a segment that is developing rapidly and attracting new and younger consumers.”

“We continue to strengthen our partnerships to extend the reach of the Starbucks brand globally. With its historical local footprint and exceptional execution capabilities, Nestlé is an ideal partner to help us develop and offer tailored Starbucks coffee beverages in these markets,” said Michael Conway, group president International and Channel Development, Starbucks. “Our partnership has proven highly successful for both companies, and we are confident that this new collaboration will help us meet our customers’ evolving needs.”

Nestlé and Starbucks will initially focus on the most popular RTD products, such as Starbucks Frappuccino and Starbucks Doubleshot, and will continue to develop a strong innovation pipeline. The products will be rolled out across a variety of channels, including online platforms. Starbucks RTD coffee products are made with 100% of the finest arabica beans sourced from the world’s premier coffee regions.

The new collaboration builds on a successful three-year partnership through the global coffee alliance, which expanded the reach of Starbucks branded coffee and tea products across 79 markets outside Starbucks retail stores.

Since forming the global coffee alliance in 2018, Nestlé and Starbucks have brought to market a wide range of premium products at a fast pace – including whole bean, roast and ground as well as Starbucks capsules for Nespresso and Nescafé Dolce Gusto proprietary technologies. Nestlé and Starbucks will continue to work together closely to develop new, innovative products and go-to market strategies that will amplify the reach and expand the unique experience of the Starbucks brand globally.

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Dunkin’ Caramel Multi-Serve Iced Coffee is available in the chilled coffee section of mass retailers and grocery stores.

Alongside its launch, Dunkin’ has released a Creamy Caramel Iced Coffee recipe below, using its new product offering:

Ingredients: 

• 8oz glass of Dunkin’ Caramel Multi-Serve Iced Coffee
• Ice cubes
• Whipped cream
• Smucker’s Sundae Syrup Caramel Flavored Syrup
• For garnish: 1 tbsp cinnamon sugar

Instructions:

1. Fill a tall glass of your choice with ice and pour in the Dunkin’ Caramel Multi-Serve Iced Coffee.
2. Top with whipped cream.
3. Drizzle with syrup.
4. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
5. Sip and enjoy!

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“There are growing fears that the full impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) on the supply chain in the United States and Europe will be felt from mid-March, when inventory at manufacturing and assembly plants that depend on inputs from China begins to deplete,” reported the Journal of Commerce (JOC) on 4 March.

In celebration of Chinese New Year annually, many companies and factories in China close for a week. This year, Chinese New Year began on 25 January, but the rampant spreading of Covid-19 caused week-long closures to be extended for another two weeks. Travel restrictions prevented workers from returning to work, resulting in manufacturing facilities remaining closed for most of February.

The JOC further reported, “With factories closed and an unprecedented number of blank sailings implemented by ocean carriers, very little has been shipped out of China in the past month…A shipper who did not wish to be identified said although manufacturing activity in China was slowly returning, the last of the containers shipped ahead of the Chinese New Year shutdown had arrived in the US and Europe, and nothing had been produced in China since those shipments left.”

The automotive, electronics, pharmaceutical and textiles industries – to name just a few – globally, have all been impacted by production issues in China.

Within China, coffee chains and consumption habits have also been affected.

Because of the outbreak, coffee chains have been forced to halt business. In January, Starbucks temporarily closed more than half of its 4,290 coffeehouses in China (as of 27 February, the company said it had reopened 85% of its stores in its second-largest market). McDonald’s also temporarily shuttered operations in hundreds of stores in China, including McCafés.

People have been encouraged to stay indoors and work from home to help minimize the spread of the virus. According to a recent Rabobank food and agribusiness report, this has incentivized a shift back to home consumption. The report also noted that coffee machines have continued to gain momentum in the Chinese market in recent years, and “will be more welcome in these extraordinary circumstances.”

Although out-of-home consumption has been the stronger performer in recent years, Rabobank advises that home consumption cannot be neglected in the Chinese coffee market.

Covid-19 could also have a positive effect on another coffee category — ready-to-drink. RTD coffee continues to perform well in China, growing in double-digits year-over-year in 2019. According to Rabobank, the robust growth was driven by innovative products from various players. Nongfu Spring introduced carbonated RTD coffee in April 2019, which, unsurprisingly, attracted younger consumers. It has since rolled out a low sugar/sugar free option to its RTD portfolio.

Coca-Cola and Costa recently co-launched Coca-Cola Coffee+, which Rabobank noted has led to an upsurge in carbonated RTD coffee consumption among younger consumers.

Seeing untapped opportunity, Chinese dairy companies have also entered the RTD coffee sector with their own drinks, Rabobank reported. Yili and Mengniu Dairy introduced Sunrelas and Shiny Meadow Cold Brew Coffee Latte, respectively. While Three Squirrels, a branded nut company, launched a plant-based dairy RTD coffee drink called Second Brain.

Rabobank sees further growth potential for RTD coffee in China amid the Covid-19 epidemic. Per the report, “Given the coronavirus outbreak, we expect many consumers will shift to RTD coffee as an alternative to freshly brewed coffee, which will further push the sales performance of RTD coffee in 2020.”

• Vanessa L. Facenda, editor Tea & Coffee Trade Journal. She may be contacted via vanessa@bellpublishing.com.

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The new RTD adds to the brand’s current line up of five ready-to-drink coffees: Café, Café Unsweetened, Café Latte, Cappuccino and Mochaccino. All varieties are made from natural ingredients with no preservatives, added colors or flavors and are packaged in slim, sleek aluminum cans that echo illy’s other recognizable premium products.

“illy Cold Brew Ready-to-Drink reflects our desire to provide consumers many other occasions to enjoy the taste and the quality of illy coffee, keeping in step with modern consumption trends,” said Massimiliano Pogliani, CEO of illycaffè.

“Our new cold brew is more than ready to drink. It is ready for more people to discover the pleasure of illy coffee, in more places, wherever life’s adventures may take them.”

illy Cold Brew Ready-to-Drink will debut at Booth 5407, Hall E at the 2020 Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, CA from 3-7 March 2020 and will become available starting in April at US retail, illy branded cafes and at illy.com, at a suggested retail price of $3.49 per 8.45 fl oz can. illy’s network of North American distributor partners service on- and off-premise customers across retail, online, hospitality and corporate channels.

The rollout will be supported by advertising, social media promotion and experiential events, including a premier sponsorship of BottleRock, the culinary and music festival in Napa Valley and known as the “first taste of summer” from 22-24 May 2020. As the festival’s official coffee, illy partners, customers and festival attendees can look forward to an integrated illy experience in an ideal premium setting including a chance to win a VIP trip to BottleRock, starting 16 March at www.illy.com/bottlerockvip.

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Starbucks has announced the launch of its new Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Nitro Cold Brew, which comes in three flavours: Black, Dark Caramel and Vanilla Sweet Cream.

This is the latest product line to join the ranks of successful innovations developed since Starbucks and PepsiCo formed the North American Coffee Partnership (NACP) in 1994, which includes Bottled Cold Brew, Starbucks Tripleshot beverages, Multi-Serve Iced Coffee and more.

RTD Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew is available across the US for a suggested retail price of US$3.99 at convenience and gas stores and $3.49 at grocery stores.

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Trade flows strengthen Brazil’s dominance
The international trade of green coffee saw strong growth in 2018, with 73m bags of green arabica exported (up 5% YOY) as well as 40m bags of green robusta (up 8% YOY). Virtually all of the growth came from Brazil and Vietnam, making the world more dependent on the two largest producers. Current low coffee prices are likely to prevent further growth in Central America and virtually all other countries, except low-cost producers Brazil and Vietnam.

The trade of processed coffee was much more stable in 2018, remaining virtually unchanged YOY. Italy is close to becoming the largest exporter of roasted coffee, almost overtaking Germany. There was also significant growth in soluble exports from Vietnam and Indonesia in 2018, but Brazil remains the top exporter of soluble coffee. Increasing robusta production in Brazil will make its soluble industry even more competitive going forward. Brazil’s top spot will be further solidified if a free trade EU-Mercosur agreement is reached, posing immense opportunities for Brazilian soluble coffee factories.

Consumer trends shaping trade flows
Rabobank’s research identified a number of coffee consumption trends that drive coffee flows, in both quantitative and qualitative terms.

A shift towards out-of-home consumption
Almost everywhere, out-of-home coffee consumption is growing faster than at-home coffee consumption, driven by changes in lifestyle and greater innovation from out-of-home options. As consumers shift purchasing patterns, there is a greater focus on differentiated, premium, and traceable products, and trends set in out-of-home consumption are expected to eventually trickle down to at-home consumption.

Ready-to-drink coffee boosts sales
Ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee consumption is well established in Asia – Japan alone accounts for over half of the global volumes – but it is also becoming increasingly prevalent in North America and in Europe, especially given the rising popularity of cold brew coffee. This is a core growth area within coffee and a high-margin, brand-building area.

The recent partnership between PepsiCo and Lavazza, as well as the introduction of Costa’s RTD coffee, shows us that the lines between soft drinks and RTD coffee will continue to blur.

Continued growth of capsules and pods in developed markets
The key success factor of single-serve portioned coffee is its convenience, specifically its ease of use and speed of preparation. Western Europe (65%) and North America (26%) represent the lion’s share of global volumes, but demand is growing in all regions. Furthermore, their efficiency means that a shift to capsules and pods will likely have a negative impact on coffee volumes.

Premium coffee development in Brazil
At close to 21m 60kg bags of coffee per year, Brazil is the second largest coffee consumer in the world, and demand is still growing. Sales of premium products, such as specialty coffee, fresh coffee beans and coffee capsules are outperforming those of standard products, such as instant coffee and standard ground coffee. Premium coffee sales in Brazil are expected to continue to grow double-digits through 2021 and to attract new investments from global coffee players.

An extremely hot market for coffee shops in China
China’s coffee consumption is still quite low, with annual per capita consumption of only 13 cups, but major international and local coffee chains are racing to gain presence and visibility in the major cities, following the listing of Luckin Coffee in May 2019. Chinese consumers expect high levels of service, and locations are far from cheap, but a growing number of young Chinese are incorporating a cup of coffee into their daily life.

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The Iced Flat White is the brand’s first beverage to come in an aluminium can and is a notable departure from the bright, colourful cartons of other Jimmy’s flavours. The aluminium can was chosen for its serious eco credentials as it will not degrade irrespective of the number of times it has been through the recycling process, therefore having an unlimited lifespan.

The decision to launch the Iced Flat White in an infinitely recyclable format followed the news that only 9% of all plastic is ever recycled which further prompted the brand to pledge becoming entirely plastic free by 2020.

As the brand’s co-founder Suzie Cregan said: “We’ve always championed sustainability with our paper cartons and by switching to bio-caps (made using energy from sustainably sourced sugar cane), therefore opting for cans which can easily be recycled in to the same format again and again was the logical next step.

“Being based on the south coast of England, the ocean and the environment is a big part of who we are and what we do, and we want to look after that,and we know our customers do.”

Inside the slick black and gold can is a smooth flat white made with a line-up of just five ingredients including ethically sourced and Rainforest Alliance accredited Arabica beans, semi-skimmed milk and a touch of unrefined demerara sugar. The Flat White Extra Shot the strongest Jimmy’s Iced Coffee beverage yet.

Suzie’s co-founder and brother Jim Cregan said: “With Flat White fast becoming the nation’s coffee of choice, we knew we wanted to make a stronger iced coffee to meet that demand.

“Our tasting development started with us adding an espresso to our current Original. It was epic. So, to now have the recipe refined into a super smooth Iced Flat White, with an extra kick, all wrapped up in infinitely recyclable packaging is really exciting.”

The Flat White Extra Shot is available to purchase in Whole Foods and select high street retailers, with an RRP £1.85.

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The coffee is cold brewed for 12 hours and comes in three varieties: Cold Brew Black Coffee, Cold Brew Original Crafted with a hint of cream and real sugar, and Cold Brew Vanilla Crafted with a touch of cream and vanilla.

“We are confident our new beverages are positioned to be the best in the ready-to-drink coffee market, and they are packaged in a way that only the Caribou brand can deliver,” said Jenifer Hagness, vice president of global marketing.

“The Caribou brand is the perfect combination of playful and premium. We take our coffee seriously in the North, but not ourselves. Beyond developing great-tasting coffee, the new ready-to-drink portfolio also allowed us to explore a new creative design with our iconic Caribou logo. Life is too short for bad coffee!”

The 11.5-ounce can is priced at $3.49.

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At the centre of the collaboration are two iced drinks created by illy’s master barista, Giorgio Milos and SelvaRey’s world-renowned mixologist Brian Klemm. The Spiked Iced Coffee and Spiked Iced Caramel will be featured at stand-alone coffee cocktail carts at festive locations.

illy Ready to Drink (RTD) is 100% Arabica coffee with no preservatives, added colours or flavours and is sweetened with non-GMO beet sugar. The illy RTD Cappuccino, Caffè Latte and Mochaccino SKUs use hormone-free milk and have fewer calories per serving than other popular ready to drink coffees on the market.

“The smooth, balanced flavour of SelvaRey Cacao combined with the smooth, high quality illy RTD’s, makes for the ideal coffee cocktail.” said SelvaRey’s Brian Klemm. “You can simply mix SelvaRey Cacao with illy’s sweetened caffè ready to drink for a perfect combination and it will also go well with the addition of mint, caramel, or vanilla. “

“illy coffee is recognised as a point of reference for coffee culture so we are passionate when it comes to inspiring coffee lovers,” added Gorgio Milos. “This SelvaRey collaboration is exciting as it can cultivate new ways to enjoy coffee and more interest in coffee cocktails.”

Please visit www.SelvaRey.com for more information.

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