Beverage Hot

Social Sips - TikTok and Instainspired Hot Beverage Trends

Social media is influencing consumer trends within the hot beverage category giving rise to cozy, “comfort” flavours. Nostalgic tastes, dessert and alcohol-inspired mashups, and functional benefits are all making a splash in tea, coffee, and hot chocolate.

Beneficial Beverages

Immunity is globally the number one reason for consumers buying into health and wellness food and beverage products, and these are becoming a more on-demand menu item. In addition, flexitarian indulgence has exploded this year and we see more and more plant-based beverages in the marketplace.

In the context of the pandemic, there are more consumers seeking immunity support through their consumption of hot beverages. In recent months, there has been a plethora of launches, including teas with nutrients such as vitamins A, C and D, noted Bangratz.

‘Gramable’ Guest Experiences

Consumers also use social media to critique the brands they interact with, as well as share Instagram-worthy experiences. Word of mouth (or word of post) is still the main way customers choose where to spend their money.

Creating show-stopping beverage menu items can be a great way to spread the word about your establishment’s beverage menu far and wide.

Kévin Bangratz, marketing researcher at Prova has noted that social networks are increasingly impacting consumer trends in beverages. Remember the Dalgona coffee craze that went viral across Instagram and Twitter during pandemic lockdowns in 2020. Videos for Hot Chocolate Bomb, Espresso Bomb, and Tea Bomb preparations have also spiked.

Teas and Infusions

Ever-popular flavoured teas are proliferating within the hot beverage social media space. With summer on it’s way, these hot beverage trends can transition to the iced beverage menu.

According to Innova Market Insights, top flavours in teas include ginger, lemon, chamomile and orange. Other flavours growing in popularity include eucalyptus, anise, cloves, cherry, rosehip, apple cinnamon, and passion fruit.

Infusions are very popular with consumers, particularly in the pandemic context, as they are seen as natural and “feel good” beverages. Regarding tea, spice blends are on trend, following the influence of chai tea. Many launches are combining tea with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom or turmeric flavours.

Indulgent Post-COVID Coffee

Coffee flavours are also experiencing a lot of innovation, as the world’s most-consumed hot beverage continues to diversify within a highly saturated market.

Innova Market Insights said that top flavours for coffee include staples such as hazelnut and caramel, vanilla, milk chocolate and chicory bean. But along with these traditional flavours, others are growing in popularity, including toffee, nuts, French vanilla, amaretto nut and peppermint.

Bangratz noted that recent launches have also used innovative combinations that key into the indulgence trend such as vanilla

A NEW HANDBOOK FROM THE SCA

The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCA) has published the first edition of its Coffee Sensory and Cupping Handbook, which expands on the Coffee Cupper’s Handbook, first published 35 years ago.

The new handbook will be available through U.S. and EU stores in late October, while an early print edition will be available at the upcoming SCA Expo in New Orleans.

The handbook was authored by SCA technical officer Mario R. Fernández-Alduenda and chief research officer Peter Giuliano, who designed it to be a practical guide to sensory science for coffee professionals.

The authors hoped the book would provide good sensory practices for coffee professionals to reduce bias and error and improve daily sensory work without removing the enjoyment.

Fernández-Alduenda and Giuliano added they hoped the book would help sensory scientists view coffee as a unique category with complex flavours and understand the potential for working with thousands of passionate coffee tasters.

According to the SCA, the world’s largest professional coffee membership organisation, the handbook collated over 30 years of advancements in sensory science and related it to practical applications such as cupping and flavour communication.

Specifically, the guide addresses the SCA’s cupping practices, protocols, and flavour-related tools, such as the Coffee Tasters Flavour Wheel, which received a major revision in 2016.

In a practical sense, the Coffee Sensory and Cupping Handbook would replace the Coffee Cupper’s Handbook, which has served as an essential resource for coffee roasters since its first edition.

Dilmah and a Trusty Cuppa TeaDilmah and a Trusty Cuppa Tea

Over the coming year we begin to celebrate 30 years in New Over the coming year we begin to celebrate 30 years in New Zealand so it’s a time to reflect on how important New Zealand Zealand so it’s a time to reflect on how important New Zealand has been in the success of Dilmah. has been in the success of Dilmah.

New Zealand is a second home to the Dilmah family and it’s an honor to be told by customers that they consider us an adopted kiwi brand. It’s also an honor to have been awarded by Readers Digest as New Zealand’s ‘Most Trusted Tea’ for the 6th year in a row. New Zealand is a second home to the Dilmah family and it’s an honor to be told by customers that they consider us an adopted kiwi brand. It’s also an honor to have been awarded by Readers Digest as New Zealand’s ‘Most Trusted Tea’ for the 6th year in a row.

Tea remains a mainstay of the New Zealand community and a Tea remains a mainstay of the New Zealand community and a well loved beverage both at home and in hospitality. A good cuppa well loved beverage both at home and in hospitality. A good cuppa brings together friends and family who value Dilmah not only as brings together friends and family who value Dilmah not only as the experts in tea but for our philosophy that ‘Business is a matter the experts in tea but for our philosophy that ‘Business is a matter of human service’.of human service’.

Call us anytime to talk tea. All sales & distribution is now direct Call us anytime to talk tea. All sales & distribution is now direct with the Dilmah NZ Office: 0800 DILMAH (345624)with the Dilmah NZ Office: 0800 DILMAH (345624)

THE TEA THAT NOURISHES

At the end of 2016 Gill Bredl, founder of Charity Tea, received a message from a friend living in Haiti asking her to feed a starving child abandoned in the hospital. Within days of saying yes to feed one baby there were six more children. After hurricane Matthew hit, there were hundreds of kids needing food.

“Istarted a charity to respond to a crisis and then realised that I didn’t just want to ‘beg’ for money. I wanted to create value and generate wealth to help solve a problem too,” Bredl explained. The business started in 2017 after Bredl had already started a Charitable Trust, Ten18 International. “I wanted to create a company that sold premium organic tea that would help address the issue of world hunger through every sale, without creating other problems in the world - such as waste, plastic

or slavery. Every packet of tea sold feeds a hungry child. We run feeding programmes in Haiti and support school lunch programmes here in New Zealand.”

Bredl has always loved tea and the ceremony involved in taking time out to nourish the body.

“My background has been in Youth Justice social work so you could say I had a strong sense of justice and helping people,”she expressed.

“Seeing people going hungry is not ok with me and I wanted to do something about it. Using business as a way to create a sustainable funding option for my Charity seemed like a wise move.”

Initially, Bredl’s plan didn’t involve tea, the plan was to open an Op shop and café, but she realised she didn’t have the startup funds for that.

“One night I had a dream that I sold tea - called Charity Tea. I saw it work and it went worldwide. I woke up and took it as a sign, however, if I had known all the work and adversity I would face then I may not have started.”

Bredl explained that after starting Charity Tea, she found herself as a single parent and reached a massive low point when she was feeding 600 children a month via her Charity but couldn’t feed her own. Taking these obstacles as opportunities to learn, Bredl kept going.

“I feel grateful for the lessons I learned. Now have the opportunity to invest in, and employ others, with a focus on diversity and those who are disadvantaged. We have a diverse team including single mums and people with disabilities on our staff.”

Charity Tea supplies cafés, hotels, gift shops, restaurants, office supply companies and conscious businesses who care about organics, lower waste and their carbon footprint. Bredl noted that choosing organic tea is better for the growers and the soil.

“All of our packaging is compostable, refillable or recyclable. We are the only Ekos gold standard certified Climate positive tea company in New Zealand. This means we are committed to offsetting 120 percent of the carbon our business produces.”

Charity tea helps businesses to outsource some of their social, environmental and climate impact just by switching their tea suppliers.

“Just as coffee lovers expect great coffee - tea lovers also demand organic and plastic-free with a bit of effort in presentation.”

Sustainability is a value that underpins everything Charity Tea does, from its relationship with its growers, to packaging, to supporting its local community.

“We think about our growers receiving fair prices for the tea, we consider the needs of our customers and their demand for lower-waste packaging, and we focus on refilling and reusing our signature black and gold tins.

“We also give back locally via our feeding programmes and NZ lunch programmes.”

While brokers who have long standing relationships with small growers overseas import tea for the company, Charity Tea also has growers in New Zealand who grow tea organically and create its herbal health blends.

“We are happy to support local and pay fairly for their expertise.”

Just in time for the lead up to the giving season, Charity Tea has launched a range of individually wrapped tea bags called PositiviTEAS. It’s a 3 in 1 , card, gift and organic tea experience.

“They are packed by hand in home compostable packaging and they are a great way to experience what Charity Tea can offer. We can also create promotional products for companies who would like their own branded messaging on a values-based product.”

Bredle would like to grow her company and gain distribution across the country while be ing known as a Kiwi, impact-driven business that is enabling others to make better buying decisions that help people and the planet.

“We are working on a dashboard so that we can better communicate the impact we make so our customers can share how they are making a difference. Social enterprise is the way of the future and doing business with values will be key for businesses who want success, as customers demand more from their spending power.”

You can find Charity Tea on Facebook and Instagram. For more information about opening a wholesale account, visit www.charitytea.co.nz or email orders@charitytea.co.nz