According to the British Coffee Association,  Britons drink 98 million cups of coffee every day. And although 80% of UK households buy instant coffee for in-home consumption (particularly those aged 65 and older), ground coffee and single-serve coffee pods are becoming increasingly popular, particularly among Gen Zers and millennials (aged 16 – 34), who account for 16% of all buyers. Furthermore, the consumption of cold brew coffee is also rapidly expanding. Similar to ground coffee and single serve, cold brew is preferred by younger consumers and has untapped potential throughout the UK. (For more information see T&CTJ’s feature: Cold brew experiences growth in the UK market).

In terms of out-of-home consumption, the café culture is booming. The BCA reports that 80% of those who visit coffee shops do so once a week and 16% of the population visit once a day.

Given that that the café culture is surging, Germany-based coffee blog Coffeeness researched the best UK cities for coffee lovers, taking a variety of factors into account, including the number of coffee shops and coffee roasters as well as coffee pricing, search trends and annual coffee festivals and events. Interestingly, the top 25 cities are in England. Coffeeness found that the top ten best cities in the UK for coffee enthusiasts, in order are:

1. Salford
2. London
3. Preston
4. Bath
5. Brighton & Hove
6. Liverpool
7. Durham
8. Peterborough
9. Wells
10. Leicester

According to Coffeeness, which used Yelp as its main source for calculating the number of cafés, cake shops and coffee roasters in any given city, Salford is by far, the best UK city for coffee lovers in terms of accessibility to good quality coffee. It’s also one of the most affordable cities for coffee. Conversely, London is one of the cities in which the average cost for a cup of coffee is highest (topped by only Ely in Cambridgeshire).

Other ‘most affordable coffee cities’ include the cathedral city of Durham – where a cup of coffee is £2.81 on average – followed by Peterborough, Chelmsford, and Salford.

The research finds that London’s café culture is really thriving. The city – which now boasts more than 4,100 coffee shops – ranks highest overall when it comes to coffee festivals and events.

Per Coffeeness, Sunderland, located in North East England, ranks as the least favourable UK city for coffee lovers. And while Bristol ranks fairly low in terms of coffee accessibility and quality, it comes in second for coffee culture and interest.

For the full report on the best cities in the UK for coffee lovers, click here.

Vanessa L Facenda, editor, Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.
Keep in touch via email: vanessa@bellpublishing.com Twitter: @TCTradeJournal or LinkedIn: Tea & Coffee Trade Journal

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In recent years, lavender has been rapidly building a fan base among coffee lovers around the world, and market players believe this trend is only just gaining traction.

Best known for its calming effects, lavender has historically been highly valued in herbal medicine for its health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. There is scientific evidence that lavender aromatherapy may help reduce stress, promote better sleep, lower blood pressure, and even relieve some pain. Research also shows that inhaling lavender can help reduce anxiety and depression.

The word lavender comes from the Latin word lavare, which means “to wash.” In many ancient cultures, including Greece, Persia, and Rome, lavender was believed to purify the body and mind. In Roman times, the blossoms were sold for about the same amount as a farm worker’s monthly salary. Fortunately, lavender is much more affordable today.

Tea & lavender: an ideal union

Over the years, this herb has gained a foothold in the tea industry, where it is appreciated for its pleasant taste and potential calming benefits. “Flowers are widely perceived to lift people’s moods and are also a popular choice of gift when trying to cheer someone up. Here is where floral teas can step in and raise their game in the mental wellbeing area,” said David Faulkner, associate director with Mintel Food & Drink.

According to Faulkner, in an increasingly chaotic world, relaxation is the top priority for tea drinkers. Already the leading category for stress and relaxation claims, tea is uniquely positioned to further develop this role in the coming years.

“Brands innovating around floral teas should actively target stress relief and good mood – the benefits commonly associated with ‘real’ flowers. Beyond ‘good night’, there is room for ‘good day’ mood-boosting teas.”

Tea is the leading category for innovation in this context. As estimated by Mintel, while Asia Pacific leads launch activity, remarkable growth can be seen in North America, where floral flavours doubled within the past five years.

The rise in popularity of lavender in the tea industry is absolutely in line with the existing trends of consumers becoming more health and wellness-focused, as well as the growing desire for more exotic flavours, especially among younger consumers, commented Niya Vatel, owner of Tea and I, a US-based tea company. She added that the general increase in the use of herbal and botanical ingredients is also contributing to the rising popularity of lavender.

Furthermore, “people are willing to pay a premium for a sensory experience and potential health benefits,” Vatel indicated. And perhaps more importantly in today’s world, lavender is now among the products that “ride the social media wave, being cherished by celebrities and influencers, which proves to be a catalyst for its booming popularity.

“We must also remember the influence of social media marketing. When lavender-infused beverages are showcased in visually appealing ‘Instagrammable’ ways, it can lead to faster widespread adoption,” Vatel said. What is additionally important, she continued, “is that the health benefits of lavender aren’t folklore: it’s backed by science, so it’s great for consumers looking for that reassurance and interest in organic, natural, clean-label products.”

A perfect blended paradox

While lavender has already become a common part of tea culture, it is still an emerging trend in the coffee industry.

Paul Rooke, executive director of the British Coffee Association, commented, “For several years, there has been innovation around the use of flavours and aromas in coffee, so it’s no surprise that lavender would be part of that development.”

In general, the rise in lavender’s popularity is partly linked to the young generation’s constant desire to experiment with flavours and tastes. “Coffee as a beverage readily lends itself to being combined with a wide range of different ingredients, and we see more of that as new generations of coffee drinkers explore these opportunities,” Rooke explained. “It is clear that the use of herbal and botanical ingredients as a part of that innovative exploration is fast becoming a staple part of the UK’s hot beverage scene.”

Analysts say that some customers may want to add lavender to their coffee, seeking a more balanced beverage. Coffee can make some people feel anxious and negatively impact their sleep, while lavender can calm and, in theory, counter those effects. Coffee companies are rushing to capitalise on the growing purple trend.

“We have noticed an increase in the request for lavender beverages,” said Megan Jackman, manager with Keweenaw Coffee Works. “Usually, lavender is a popular ingredient in the spring, and would mainly only show up on our spring seasonal menu. However, lavender has become so popular that we now offer lavender beverages as part of our ‘signature’ beverage menu, which is available year-round,” Jackman said.

The growth in popularity of lavender has become so evident that Keweenaw Coffee Works has also shifted to making its own lavender syrup in-house. “Because so many customers want lavender drinks, it is important that our lavender syrup is of high quality. A lot of the lavender-flavoured syrups available on the market have an artificial flavour or smell to them, so we made the decision over a year ago to make our own lavender syrup using lavender buds and simple syrup,” Jackman explained.

Gretchen Hashemi-Rad, beverage category manager for Caribou Coffee, has also observed a surge in consumer interest in lavender coffee. “In recent years we have noticed an increased demand for customisation, including the desire for plant-based milks.” She added that “this surge in popularity led us to the decision to offer free non-dairy customisation when ordering via the app. We also believe Gen Z and millennial customers are driving these beverage trends including lavender. The popularity of social networks and influencers has made a significant impact on these trends as well.”

Hannah Holmes, a spokesperson for flavours and ingredients supplier, Finlays, said the company “has certainly noticed a rise in lavender – and other floral flavours over the past few years.” She explained that several factors are driving its popularity, such as consumer demand for ‘adult’ soft beverages that offer an alternative to sweet carbonated soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. Holmes shared that lavender creates a more unconventional and sophisticated flavour profile, appealing to consumers seeking distinctive, artisanal and craft beverages.

“There’s also a health angle – as consumers typically associate lavender with relaxation and calming – as evidenced by its frequent usage in the health and beauty space in products such as bath soaks,” she said.

Additionally, the soft purple hue creates visual appeal, which is increasingly important for beverages gaining traction on social media, Holmes stated, adding that the new Starbucks Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha is a great example of a distinctive beverage, drawing on the sweet floral notes and visual impact of purple and green from the matcha and lavender.

“Lavender is the perfect flavour to transition us from the winter season into spring,” said Patrick Penny, Starbucks beverage developer in a company-issued press release. “Its soft sweetness, light floral notes and beautiful colour ignite feelings of rejuvenation and awakening associated with the change of seasons.” The new Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha features matcha and oatmilk served over ice, and topped with lavender cream cold foam, which creates sweet and subtle floral notes. “When creating the new Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha, we wanted to capture the uplifting energy of spring in a cup,” Penny shared. “The vibrant green matcha topped with lavender-hued cold foam delivers a delightfully colourful and unexpectedly delicious flavour combination.” Starbucks’ spring beverage menu also includes an Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte.

Herbal & botanical revolution

“The underlying trends for adult soft drinks, relaxation and visual appeal are key drivers of consumer behaviour so we expect lavender to remain popular for several years, but with key developments [such as] the distinction of ‘French lavender’ or the trend expanding to include other floral teas and botanicals [like] Darjeeling or peony,” Holmes shared.

However, the soaring popularity of lavender might be only the tip of the iceberg. There is a more powerful trend underneath, which is raising consumer interest in herbals and botanicals, including in coffee beverages.

“In seeking natural ingredients, consumers are driving the popularity of herbals and botanicals – there are several angles to this, health and perceived functionality; the visual impact of botanicals, eg, hibiscus; and the desire for new and innovative flavours,” Holmes said.

“Coffee is such an innovative space,” Hashemi-Rad pointed out. “Like with lavender, more herbal and botanical ingredients may end up having a bigger impact on the beverage industry in the future. While an unwavering love of specialty coffee is at the core of what we do every single day, our guests’ wants and needs are always evolving.”

Holmes suggested that businesses need to be innovative and forward-looking to ensure they are reactive to changing consumer preferences, which is obviously a major challenge with the fast-moving nature of trends. “At Finlays, we employ several tactics to stay ahead of the curve, including being highly active on #DrinkTok, using predictive AI to forecast trending flavours and ingredients and looking outside of the beverage category – for example into health and beauty – to understand the wider consumer landscape. This enables us to support customers in capturing pockets of high growth in the large and mature categories in which they operate,” Holmes said.

“Today’s consumers are informed and conscious about the health benefits of what they consume, so it’s unsurprising that companies are taking note and popularising botanical ingredients,” agreed Tea and I’s Vatel. “Consumers want the best of both worlds: beverages that taste great and are good for them. The boost in lavender use aligns with that growing trend of taste exploration and health-conscious consumption, and I don’t see it going anywhere any time soon.”

• Vladislav Vorotnikov is a Batumi, Georgia-based multimedia B2B freelance journalist writing about the tea and coffee industries since 2012.

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While the NCA Annual Convention is a leading event for executives and decision-makers in the US coffee industry, this year’s gathering welcomed individuals from more than two dozen countries, and included representatives from international coffee organizations such as the British Coffee Association, CeCafe (Brazil), the Coffee Association of Canada, the European Coffee Federation, the German Coffee Association (Deutscher Kaffeeverband), the International Coffee Organization (UK), Sintercafe (Costa Rica), the Swiss Coffee Trade Association as well as the Specialty Coffee Association (US/UK).

“We are thrilled to finally welcome back the coffee community to their beloved annual event, in person for the first time in three years,” said William “Bill” Murray, NCA president & CEO, in his opening day remarks. “These past few years have been challenging, and I continue to be awed by the strength and resilience our industry has shown.”

Murray also reiterated the NCA’s mission –to grow the US coffee community through education, advocacy, and connection – and vision for an open, sustainable and growing future for coffee. He noted that the NCA is ramping up its advocacy efforts this year in jobs, climate change, sustainability, deforestation, gender equity, plant research, public health, immigration, innovation, and international development.

He also pointed out that while coffee consumption in the US remains strong (the exception being instant coffee), a particular bright spot is cold brew. Quoting statistics from Technavio, Murray said that the cold brew coffee market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 7.73% between 2022 and 2027, adding that the size of the market is forecast to increase by USD $439.93 million.

This year’s convention theme, Resilience & Reinvention, spoke to the industry’s ability to evolve to meet the challenges of the day and thrive despite ongoing economic and public health challenges. The opening keynote speaker was Amanda Lindhout, who was kidnapped by criminals while working as a freelance journalist in Somalia in 2008. Her speech discussed her need to stop asking ‘why me’ and all that she suffered and let go of her anger because it was only hurting her after she was freed so she could find and harness her innate inner resource of resilience.

In her keynote presentation, ‘Say What you Mean in a Nice Way: Communication with Kindness and Compassion’, and quoting Maya Angelou, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel,” Sarita Maybin advised attendees on ways to transform uncomfortable conversations – whether

in business or personal situations – into constructive communication by offering ways to ‘say what you mean and mean what you say in a nice way’.

The always popular and insightful G Scott Clemons, partner & chief economic strategist, Brown Brother Harriman, returned and shared his economic outlook for 2023, noting that the likelihood of a recession in the second half of the year is growing. “The job market is relatively robust but it is more of job recovery than new job growth,” he said, adding that the biggest issue has been trying to find workers. Clemons explained that the labour market growth will weaken as trends return to normal and the housing market is declining as mortgage rates — combine this with consumer confidence, which remains at post-pandemic low levels, as well as weak manufacturing confidence and the continuing Russia/Ukraine conflict, and the probability of a recession is strong. However, “I believe if we have a recession, it will be a relatively short one as households are in better financial shape than they have been (household debt is at all-time lows),” he said.

Many conversations during the convention centred around the impact of the proposed European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), on businesses. The goal of the EUDR is to prevent a significant share of global deforestation and forest degradation, and in turn, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. The EUDR is at a standstill as trade representatives for the targeted commodities (along with coffee, there is soy, beef, palm oil, and rubber, among others) argue that it should not be a ‘one size fits all’ approach as each commodity is unique and its impact varies greatly. Furthermore, Michael von Luerte, secretary general for the SCTA, explained that DG Environment, which is drafting the regulation, had “very little consultation with the private sector, which should have been heard and third-party producing countries were not heard.” Producing countries should have been given a word, he said, because those impacted the most will be the smallholders. Essentially, the people and the countries the new law is intended to help, will currently be hurt the most by it.

The NCA also presented two awards on the convention’s opening day. The first went to Days for Girls International, NCA’s 2023 Origin Charity of the Year, in recognition of their work improving the health, education, and livelihood outcomes of women and girls in coffee-growing regions around the world. NCA also presented Charles ‘Charlie’ Cortellini with the NCA Distinguished Leadership Award in honour of his over four decades of service and dedication to the NCA and coffee industry.

The next NCA Convention will be held 7-9 March 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee.

• Vanessa L Facenda, editor, Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.
  Keep in touch via email: vanessa@bellpublishing.com Twitter: @TCTradeJournal or LinkedIn: Tea & Coffee Trade Journal

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