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BEVERAGE ISSUE
Caffeinated Drinks and Their Growing Popularity by JAMES WARD, VISITING INSTRUCTOR, HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT, FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY and STELLA QUINTERO, INSTRUCTOR, HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT, FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY
24 SUMMER
2020
alcohol (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). We need to make sure that we are controlling how and where we offer these drinks. We are aware that traditional soft drinks still appeal to our customers. But even the giants of this business realize the emerging market of caffeinated drinks and have created their own versions to try and grab a share of this emerging market (Pesce, 2019). The best approach to this new product would seem to be to revert to a tried and true formula for us: menu development. We rely on beverages and beverage selections in our operation to serve as a complement to our menus and often pair certain beverages with menu items to complement a particular dish. Caffeinated beverages should be no different. We can supplement our guest’s choices beyond the “normal” selections (coffee, tea, sodas, etc.). By adding these new products that have additional flavor combinations and varieties, we can suggest menu items that would pair well with these new offerings. Much the same way we do with a wine list, we can create a beverage list with alternative options to pair with our salads, for example. Although adding any new products to a menu can be risky, it can also be very rewarding. This market does not seem to be going anywhere, and there are safe ways to test your clientele: Create special promotions to test the demand for these products; test a food-beverage-pairing menu highlighting caffeinated drinks; offer a seasonal specialty drink based on the appeal of caffeinated beverages. As always, focus on your customers and what
they like, but do not forget that you might attract new customers by adding new products that appeal to a new segment. Adding caffeinated beverages can offer some exciting prospects for our bottom line and present some interesting options for our guests. Let’s be honest, it can also be a lot of fun for us and our staff to try these products before we make a decision. That is probably one meeting we know our employees will be fully engaged in! References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, February 4). Alcohol and Caffeine. Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/ caffeine-and-alcohol.htm Markets Insider. (2020, January 13).Global Caffeinated Beverage Market (2019-2025). Retrieved from Markets Insider: https://markets.businessinsider.com/ news/stocks/global-caffeinated-beveragemarket-2019-2025-1028813054 Mishra, M. (2019, May 27). Energy drink consumption rising in the U.S. Retrieved from Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-healthenergy-drinks/energy-drink-consumptionrising-in-the-us-idUSKCN1SX1FE Pesce, N. L. (2019, May 31). Why Coke and Amazon are chasing the energy-drink buzz. Retrieved from Market Watch: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/whycoke-and-amazon-are-chasing-the-energydrink-buzz-2019-05-30 FLORIDA RESTAUR ANT & LOD GING A S SO CIATION
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he origin of caffeinated beverages dates back to over 5,000 years ago, when a few certain leaves were placed in boiling water, and an aromatic and incredible beverage known as tea came into existence. Nowadays, caffeinated beverages range from the traditional coffee and tea to an abundant variety of sodas, energy drinks and energy shots. Although the effects of the wide range of caffeinated beverages vary greatly based on a multitude of factors, it is very evident that their popularity is strong. In the restaurant world, we rely on beverage sales to help us with our bottom line. It is also important to acknowledge that our vendors and industry partners constantly tell us about the “next big thing” that we will need to offer to our guests. The rise in popularity of caffeinated drinks and the overwhelming amount of options seems to grow daily. These drinks are marketed in a variety of ways, and, in many cases, claim to offer the ability to improve performance and reduce fatigue (Mishra, 2019). Caffeinated beverage products are here to stay. Some estimates have the industry expanding to over $300 billion in the next five years (Markets Insider, 2020). It would seem to be almost second nature to offer these products to our guests, and we always worry about being the last business to offer and risk falling behind consumer demand. We must also decide the way in which we are going to offer these products. While a nice pick-me-up would be great while our guests are laying by the pool on a beautiful summer afternoon, the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) warns us of mixing that same refreshing beverage with
