Everyone has their favourite seasonal coffee...
A gingerbread chai at Christmas. A pumpkin spice latte in the lead-up to Halloween. Many people look forward to their favourite seasonal drinks as much as the season itself.
Seasonal trends present an opportunity to keep menus fresh, surprise customers, and build excitement throughout the year within your coffee outlet.
In this blog you’ll learn some of our seasonal and festive coffee trends that you can use or adapt to stay ahead of the game and serve deliciously crafted drinks that will help attract and retain customers year round.
Winter Coffee Trends
Winter is the season of comfort, warmth, and indulgence.
With Christmas as the highlight, coffee shop drinks infused with festive flavours like gingerbread, chocolate, cinnamon, and nutmeg dominate the season. Customers gravitate towards rich, spiced drinks that evoke feelings of nostalgia and celebration.
Popular Winter Flavours
- Classic Gingerbread Latte: Espresso, steamed milk, gingerbread syrup, and a dusting of nutmeg.
- Peppermint Mocha: Espresso, dark chocolate syrup, peppermint syrup, and steamed milk topped with whipped cream.
- Spiced Hot Chocolate: A Christmas spice syrup mixed with cocoa powder, served with perfectly steamed milk and dusted with cocoa.
A versatile winter blend might feature a full-bodied, chocolatey coffee with hints of caramel and spice, like our Amico Classico, perfect for pairing with festive syrups.
Bridge Coffee’s Favourite Winter Drink: The Orange Hot Chocolate, a vibrant twist on a classic, balances zesty orange with creamy chocolate, creating a crowd-pleaser for customers of all ages.
- Double Espresso
- HUGG Hot Chocolate Powder
- Orange Syrup
- Hot Steamed Milk
Spring Coffee Trends
As spring blooms, coffee menus start to reflect the lighter, more floral mood of the season.
Customers emerge from their winter coats and begin to embrace both warm and cold drinks, with lighter more floral and fruity flavours coming forward such as lavender, vanilla, rose and citrus.
Popular Spring Flavours
- Lavender Vanilla Latte: Espresso, steamed milk, lavender syrup, and a touch of vanilla.
- Citrus Cold Brew: Cold brew coffee infused with orange zest and topped with sparkling water.
- Rose Matcha Latte: Matcha powder whisked with rose syrup and creamy oat milk.
For spring, coffee blends with bright, citrusy notes are ideal, complementing the light, floral profiles of the syrups and spices, yet with a medium roast to provide enough flavour in those complex drink recipes.
Bridge Coffee Roaster’s Favourite Spring Recipe: Try a Vanilla Oat Matcha to tap into a younger audience’s growing preference for a slow release energy in this delicious warming drink.
- Vanilla Bean Syrup
- 1 Scoop Matcha Powder
- Hot Steamed Oat Milk
Summer Coffee Trends
The coats are gone, the shorts are in and cold drinks now reign supreme. Customers want refreshing beverages that help them beat the heat while delivering bold and exciting flavours.
Look to offer a cold twist on your favourite coffee classics. How about an iced latte or americano? Cold brew or nitro coffees are often popular in the summer. You could even experiment with fruit or tropical infused cold coffee punches.
Summer Coffee Recipes to Try
- Coconut Iced Latte: Espresso, coconut syrup, and chilled coconut milk served over ice.
- Strawberry Iced Matcha: Matcha, strawberry syrup, and oat milk served with ice cubes.
- Pineapple Cold Brew: Smooth cold brew coffee mixed with pineapple syrup and a splash of soda water.
For summer, opt for coffee blends that are smooth and chocolatey, as they make an excellent base for iced drinks without overpowering the added flavours.
Bridge Coffee Roaster’s favourite summer recipe? Try serving a refreshing pineapple iced tea, a perfect addition to your drinks menu for those hot sunny afternoons and easy to create with two simple syrups.
- Still or Sparkling Water
- Ice
- Ice Tea Syrup
- Pineapple Syrup
Autumn coffee trends
Autumn is synonymous with cosy, spiced beverages. As the weather cools, leaves start to fall and the nights begin to lengthen, customers seek drinks that embody the comforting flavours of the season.
The season of the pumpkin spice latte is upon us, with typical harvest-time flavours of maple, brown sugars, toasted marshmallows and pumpkin spice being popular this time of year.
Autumnal Coffee Flavours
- Pumpkin Spice Latte: Espresso, steamed milk, pumpkin spice syrup, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
- Salted Maple Latte: Espresso, steamed milk, maple syrup, and a touch of sea salt.
- Toasted Marshmallow Mocha: Espresso, dark chocolate syrup, toasted marshmallow syrup, and steamed milk topped with mini marshmallows.
For your autumn coffee blend, look for coffees with nutty and caramel notes that complement the rich, warm flavours of the season’s syrups and spices.
Our top Autumn coffee recipe recommendation to try would be an Oat Shaken Brown Sugar Espresso, a delicious sweet shaken coffee mocktail poured over ice.
- Double Espresso
- Brown Sugar Syrup
- Ice
- Oat Milk
Adding Your Own Coffee Trends to the Calendar
Adding your own coffee trends to the calendar can help your business stand out and attract customers year-round. Here are some tips and examples to help you introduce fresh trends throughout the year.
Guest Coffee Blends and Single Origins
Guest blends and exclusive origins are a fantastic way to add variety. Rotating your coffee to match the season, such as a floral Ethiopian in spring or a rich Colombian coffee in winter.
Highlight the tasting notes and promote them as limited editions to create excitement and urgency. For example, a “Winter Blend” with chocolate and spice notes could pair perfectly with festive syrups.
Experiment with Flavour Combinations
Experimenting with flavour combinations is another way to innovate. Add syrups or spices to existing drinks, like an orange hot chocolate in winter, a toasted marshmallow latte in autumn, or a caramel flat white year-round.
Play around with unexpected pairings, such as lavender with vanilla or cardamom with honey, to create memorable drinks.
Try New Drink Types
Variety in drink types also keeps your menu appealing. Alongside classic hot coffees, consider cold and non-coffee options. For summer, introduce frappes, smoothies, or cold brews with fruity twists like coconut or pineapple.
In spring, floral lemonades or rose-infused iced teas can be refreshing. For winter, spiced chai lattes and indulgent hot chocolates work well. Offering drinks with alternative milks or reduced sugar options can also broaden your appeal.
Tap Into Holidays
Aligning with seasonal events can drive interest. Valentine’s Day might inspire a strawberry rose latte, while Halloween could feature pumpkin spice mochas. These special offerings add a sense of occasion and encourage customers to explore your menu.
Why bother with seasonal coffee drinks?
Seasonal coffee drinks give you a chance to grab customers with their annual favourites they can’t get any other time of year, or even throw a few surprises into the mix to create a buzz around your menu.
Not to mention you can charge a bit more for a limited time coffee.
Customers love these short-term offers and many have their favourite time of year based on their favourite seasonal drink. For you as a coffee business it means you can keep things fresh without ripping up your entire menu.
They’re also easy marketing opportunities as they go naturally with yearly events like Christmas or Valentine’s Day so you can attract attention with promotions.
At Bridge Coffee Roasters, we make seasonal menus effortless with our Annual Seasonal Drinks Calendar. It’s designed to take the guesswork out of tapping into the latest trends, offering ready-made inspiration to help you serve crowd-pleasing drinks all year round. Let us help you keep your menu exciting, profitable, and perfectly on-trend.
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