Speciality Food Magazine May 2024

because of its profile, being quite light, crisp and astringent. It really suits this brewing method.” Angela also points towards tropical flavours as being ‘hot’ in 2024. “Tropical is everywhere in the cold market at the moment!” Candice suggests hibiscus and mint as being perfect options for cold brewing. “Hibiscus is fruity 12 T ea and coffee punctuate our lives in Britain. They’re what we grab on the way to work, or as we’re kicking our shoes off at the end of a busy day. A cuppa is what many of us crave when we return from holiday, with a brew often the top priority once those suitcases have been lugged in from the car. Figures from the British Coffee Association reveal we drink an average 98 million cups of coffee a day in the UK, with tea just pipping this to the post at around 100 million. But our daily ritual is no longer as predictable as a hot cup of cha and a biscuit. HFSS regulations, alcohol moderation, and the desire for ever ‘cleaner’, more functional drinks has driven a stream of innovations in this sector. Where the to-go area in stores was once dominated by colas and high-sugar fruit sodas, now sit kombucha, gut-friendly fizz, flavoured sparkling waters, and a growing number of RTD cold brew teas and coffees. Consumers are increasingly seeking out non-traditional iced drinks in cafe and foodservice settings too. Tea sommelier Candice Mason of Mother Cuppa says the cold brew trend is really taking off. “More and more people are looking for healthy ways to care for their bodies, and many are reducing caffeine and alcohol,” she explains. “I posted a reel last summer for a few cold brews, and people loved them!” According to Mintel, RTD tea is being sought out by the ‘sober curious’, while Mordor Intelligence points to demand for cold brew coffee growing due to our busy lifestyles, saying the “excellent source of instant energy is becoming popular amongst youngsters and the middle-aged working population.” It cites functionality, innovation, and new flavours and tastes as trends in the cold brew and RTD coffee category. It’s clear that RTD tea and coffee could prove a strong investment in fine food retail, but what about the in-store experience? The cold market is strong Senior tea and coffee buyer Angela Pryce, who has worked as a buyer, taster and blender for two decades, has a deep understanding of developing markets, and says cafes and foodservice outlets offering a form of cold brew coffee or tea this year will be moving in the right direction. She says chilled tea “lends itself really well as a different way of serving tea, which has traditionally always been served hot.” But to hit the mark, some preparation is needed. “The teas need to be brewed, and chilled down. It’s a case of making them the day before, or in the morning, to get ahead. I think it’s a great, cost-effective way of selling tea and herbal infusions, and a healthier alternative to a soft drink. The flavours are brilliant, and tea is a natural product that’s naturally sugar free and calorie free, provided it’s not served with sugar.” From a technical perspective, unlike coffee, which can be brewed with cold water, Angela says it’s important to always brew tea with boiling water. “This is because it’s not specced to be brewed cold. Teas and herbal teas are not necessarily heat treated in the production process.” Though she adds technology has moved on, with more and more products becoming available specifically for cold brewing. The company she is working for currently, for example, has just released a range of four cold brew teabags. “With tea, in general,” Angela says, “if you’re wanting to serve it cold you can do it a couple of ways. One, brew it hot and then chill it in the fridge. Or brew a concentrate, make it double strength, and pout it over ice – then it’s ready immediately.” Green tea works well, she adds. And “oolong tea is beautiful cold, and sweet, and mint is refreshing. They are great in a non-alcoholic gin or ‘nosecco’ mocktail. I also love an elderflower and rooibos cold brew tea.” Angela says to avoid cold brewing black tea, which would be overly tannic and bitter, sticking to green, oolong or white for a gentler flavour profile. She sees these kinds of drinks CHILLOUTWITH COLD BREWS With warmer days on the horizon, now’s the time to explore a growing drinks category that’s taking off in the UK @specialityfood CANDICE MASON MOTHER CUPPA AMIR MONTAZER ETUDE COFFEE ANGELA PRYCE SENIOR TEA AND COFFEE BUYER RYAN MOORE BLENDSMITHS COMMENTATORS Consumers know their chai andmatcha and turmeric lattes, and they’re looking for something exciting, and expecting to see things they’ve never had before RYAN MOORE, BLENDSMITHS For more information contact: louise.barnes@artichokehq.com 01206 508629