Wake up your breakfast drinks menu

Richard Milner, category insight manager at coffee roasters Lincoln & York, points to Kantar figures showing that 58.3% of out of home coffee consumption takes place before lunch. “Maximising your coffee offering is key to ensuring you can take advantage of the breakfast trade,” he says.

“Ensuring coffee is great quality is key to attracting customers through the door at breakfast and beyond, with our research showing factors such as the taste and freshly ground coffee are within the top considerations for consumers when choosing where to go for their coffee fix.”

Lincoln & York’s research also shows that consumers now expect high-grade and specialty coffee and are eager to try something new. Almost half of those surveyed said they would ‘always’, or ‘occasionally’ pay more to try a special blend or single origin coffee.

“A large proportion are choosing coffee as a treat,” says Milner. “Offer something special in the form of a guest roast, such as single-origin coffees from Brazil, Kenya or Jamaica, or special seasonal blends.”

Room service

In hotels, a quality in-room hot drinks offer is a key expectation. Greg Harvey, out of home sales controller for Taylors of Harrogate, says: “The first hot drink of the day can make or break it. For hotel guests, it will often be enjoyed in the comfort of their room, and ensuring proper coffee is available simply and conveniently can make all the difference and affect the entire stay.

“Space, equipment and facilities are all at a premium in hotel rooms but that doesn’t have to mean compromising on quality coffee. Coffee bags are a great option – they contain proper roast and ground coffee and work like a tea bag, brewing in just two minutes. There’s no mess and all that’s needed is a kettle.”

He adds: “Taking small steps like making fresh milk available and ensuring your hot drinks tray is well presented with quality mugs and spoons can elevate your in-room hot drinks offer further and add a touch of luxury to a guest’s stay. It is also important to ensure decaf is available – not all guests will want caffeine first thing.”

Tea’s time to shine

While tea sells significantly less than coffee in the out of home market, it can’t be neglected in terms of quality or variety. Daniel Graham, managing director of Birchall Tea, says: “For many Brits, the day doesn’t start without their cup of tea. English Breakfast is still the nation’s favourite, and we firmly believe consumers should be choosing quality over quantity when it comes to tea during breakfast.”

“We want to bring ‘luxury’ teas to the forefront through an industry-wide effort”

The company’s Birchall Great Rift is the UK’s most awarded tea for taste, while Birchall Virunga is a single origin tea from Rwanda. “Of course, tea has so much variety. Our Birchall Chai tea has become increasingly popular, which is an eclectic mix of black tea, herbs and spices,” says Graham.

Mintel’s research shows that alternatives such as fruit, herbal and speciality teas continue to chip away at mainstream tea sales, often helped by perceptions of health or functional benefits.

Diaz Ayub, managing director and founder of the Tea Group and National Tea Day, says: “The coffee revolution occurred when the industry came together to create a premium out of home experience. This isn’t something the tea industry has done. For tea to experience the success coffee has, we must learn and unite to broaden the consumers’ imagination, creating tea as the perfect out of home morning beverage. We want to bring ‘luxury’ teas to the forefront through an industry-wide effort.

“Not only are consumers cut off from the delicious flavour profiles of speciality teas, but they also lose out on the incredible health benefits of many teas, which really should make tea the morning energiser of choice.”

Iced drinks move to the morning

While iced drinks are understandably more popular later in the day, Cutler-Colclough at Lavazza suggests “as consumer needs change and the popularity of iced drinks continues to grow, there is more opportunity for iced drinks to be part of the breakfast offering. Drinks such as cold brew continue to grow in popularity, and not only in the hottest months.”

Milner at Lincoln & York highlights Kantar’s figures showing that 24% of out of home iced coffee sales are made during morning trading. “Appealing to younger audiences in particular, iced coffee offers the refreshment of a cold drink while still providing that all-important caffeine kick, and operators should ensure their iced coffee options are available even during busy morning service.

“One way to do this is by using coffee extracts, allowing operators to produce iced drinks while reducing serving times during a busy breakfast service, as the need to brew and chill an espresso is removed.”

Lee Hyde, senior beverage expert at syrup brand Monin, says: “Frappés have grown in popularity by tapping into the majority consumer preference for beverages offering an indulgent treat, now being the second most popular iced coffee shop beverage next to classic iced coffees.

“Premiumisation has certainly been a growing theme within the café sector, and consumers are often more likely to visit a venue if they know they will also have an ‘Instagrammable’ moment. A menu must be thoughtfully designed, well-crafted and attractively presented, both in front of a customer and on social media, to encourage consumers to feel as though they are spending their money well.”

A fruity start to the day

With the drive for healthier options an important part of their appeal, analyst IbisWorld has reported a shift in the out of home market towards pure juices and away from smoothies, which can have higher sugar and calorie levels.

Christopher Banks, chief executive of juice supplier Cracker Drinks, says the brand’s most popular breakfast-time varieties, pressed apple juice and pure squeezed orange juice, appeal because they are not made from concentrate and are perceived as more natural.

“For many, no morning is complete without a steaming hot cup of tea or coffee to fuel their caffeine cravings. For others, a refreshing glass of ice-cold juice to wash down their breakfast is just the ticket to get the morning off to the right start,” he says. 

For a natural, healthier smoothie, Banks recommends blending two cups of frozen berries with 1.5 cups of Cracker pressed apple juice, “whizzing up a fruity alternative to a standard juice – and one that can be marketed at a premium price”.

The evolution of breakfast beverages

Another way to boost the appeal of a breakfast smoothie is with a drink often more closely associated with the other end of the day, malted milk classic Horlicks. Rebekha White, brand manager at Aimia Foods, suggests: “To give a breakfast smoothie an extra boost, simply add a scoop of Horlicks before blending. Deliciously malty and packed with vitamins and minerals, Horlicks is an ideal addition to any blended beverage, and sets a customer up for a healthy start to the day.”

Jon Reed, chief executive of coffee supplier Paddy & Scott’s, sums up: “Breakfast beverages have evolved over time and have become a part of customers’ lifestyle, rather than just a quick caffeine kick.

“Consumers are incredibly savvy nowadays; they have a vested interest in the origin of their drink. Is it sustainably sourced? Will their cuppa make a difference to the families and communities that grow it? These key requirements play a significant role in customer choice and are closely aligned with the ever-growing demand for variety.

“Some reach for their trusty espresso each morning to clear the cobwebs and get motivated, while others are driven by the weather, choosing cold brew or iced drink options on warmer days, or a subtle start to the day with a fruit of herbal tea to cleanse the body.”

Suppliers

Aimia Foods www.aimiafoods.com

Birchall Tea birchalltea.co.uk

Cracker Drinks www.crackerdrinks.com

Lavazza www.lavazza.co.uk/en/business/food-service

Lincoln & York www.lincolnandyork.com

Monin www.monin1912.com

Paddy & Scott’s paddyandscotts.shop

Taylors of Harrogate www.taylorsofharrogate.co.uk

The Tea Group theteagroup.com

Top photo: Demi DeHerrera/Unsplash