Java Script Could investment in tech-driven solutions both back- and front-of-house help hotels serve the next generation of coffee connoisseurs? Words: Jenna Campbell
A
n integral part of society,
report. “World Coffee Portal forecasts it will take
drinking coffee has become
at least three years before the segment returns
part-and-parcel of the daily
to pre-pandemic levels,” comments Jeffrey
grind, with an estimated 95
Young, founder of Allegra Group. “Recovery will
million cups consumed in the
require significant innovation, discipline and
UK every day – a reality that is
leadership, with successful operators adapting
not lost on hoteliers who ensure high-quality
to ongoing trading challenges with technology-
caffeinated drinks are readily available across
led solutions and new store formats.”
their properties throughout the day. And with
With a new generation of coffee drinkers now
consumers developing a more discerning palate
also turning to the beverage for its potential
for specialist brews and blends, investing in
health benefits – think cold-brewed beverages
everything from cold-brew kits and moka
infused with nitrogen and the addition of
pots to state-of-the-art espresso machines,
plant-based milks – in 2021, getting a caffeine
operators are seeking out ever more innovative
fix is as much about the experience as the
solutions to lure coffee-drinkers out of home.
taste and quality. Similarly, as the demand for
Informing part of the so-called Third
contactless options grows, the industry and its
Wave Coffee movement – the drive towards
partners must be ready to adapt and innovate.
appreciating coffee as an artisanal foodstuff
For hotels, emerging with premium products
rather than a commodity – the pandemic
and experience-led drinking occasions will also
has done little to deter the trend towards
be important.
premiumisation, though it has altered the way
Recognising the need to cater to these tastes,
in which consumers purchase and drink coffee.
lifestyle-focused brands such as Locke have
Like many within the foodservice industry,
partnered with independent brands such as
the segment stands at a crossroads. Ongoing
Shaman Coffee to provide grab-and-go options
lockdown restrictions and temporary closures
to guests and locals alike, while Sheraton Hotels
have affected certain aspects of the industry
& Resorts has evolved its lobby experience,
more than others. The UK’s branded coffee shop
shifting its focus towards a community-driven
market suffered a near 40% decline in sales in
model. Properties in destinations including
2020 according to Allegra’s Project Café UK 2021
Tel Aviv, Dubai and Phoenix all feature the
