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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Starting Wednesday, 27 November 2024, and running through to Cyber Monday on 2 December, Costa Coffee is offering customers the chance to enjoy up to £15 free when purchasing a gift card or eGift online during this period.

Customers who purchase a £20 – £39 gift card or eGift will receive an additional £5 FREE to spend in any Costa Coffee store nationwide. The offer extends to higher-value gift cards too:

• £40 – £59 gift cards/eGifts: Get an additional £10 FREE
• £60+ gift cards/eGifts: Receive a generous £15 FREE

To take advantage of this offer, simply visit gifting.costa.co.uk to purchase a gift card/eGift card to receive a free festive bonus.

It’s the ideal way to treat a loved one, say thank you to a friend or colleague, or even spoil yourself, especially with Costa Coffee’s limited-edition festive range of food and drinks are now available in stores such as the new Caramel Nutcracker drinks range, the new Berry Red Velvet Mini Loaf, or the Brie and Cranberry Toastie.

Don’t miss out – this limited-time Black Friday offer starts Wednesday, 27 November 2024 and ends on Monday, 2 December 2024.

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New Dawn Traders began in 2012, with the opportunity to sail aboard the Irene of Bridgewater to transport olive oil from Portugal to Brazil. Despite this being a failed mission, this voyage opened the door to future success.

With the cost of living rising, and supermarkets dominating supply chains with “cheap” options, it’s easy to think the idea of transporting coffee and produce by sail cargo is an unrealistic one. However, over the past 12 years, consumer demands have shifted dramatically, and many businesses now place sustainability at the heart of their operations.

Creating a more sustainable and ethical supply chain is proving its worth against all odds. The Vermont Sail Freight Project, the Sail Transport Network in the United States, the Greenheart Project in Fiji, TOWT in France, Holland’s Fairtransport, and B9 Shipping are just a few of the pioneering initiatives in sail cargo.

The focus is on British, Irish, and Dutch shores, where independent coffee roasters such as Farm Hand Coffee, based in Dublin, and Yallah Coffee, based in Cornwall, have teamed up with sailors to connect communities on both sides of the Atlantic.

It’s not every morning — or even throughout the day — that we think about the impact of our cup of coffee. But in my opinion, it would be quite mind-blowing to open my coffee jar every day and know that it had travelled thousands of nautical miles to reach me.

When spending company funds with large multinational corporations, local communities and farmers certainly miss out on the economic benefits.

As a final consumer, or as a business, it’s impossible not to feel much more connected to the process and the people behind the product when coffee, tea, or any other commodity is shipped by sail. After all, our coffee only reaches us thanks to a crew going with the wind.

• Inês Coutinho, digital editor, Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.
  Keep in touch via email: ines@bellpublishing.com Twitter: @TCTradeJournal or LinkedIn: Tea & Coffee Trade Journal

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Key Highlights and Award Winners

Taiwan was the standout region of 2024, winning the highest number of awards overall with eight Gold and 10 Highly Commended winning teas. Taiwanese teas proved their excellence in various categories, with LuYu Tea Garden taking home the highly coveted Best in Black award for their exceptional black tea, which wowed judges with its depth and balanced flavour.

Japan once again took centre stage with Yame Tea Kumaen earning the prestigious Best in Show title for the second year. Their matcha saemidori astonished the judges with its sweet and creamy flavour and long-lasting smoothness. Japanese teas earned 16 Awards in total, including six Gold and 10 Highly Commended. Notably, Teaste it, an Italian-Japanese tea company, impressed the judges with their innovative Moka-cha, a matcha prepared in a traditional coffee moka pot.

Islington-based Japanese tea retailer Katsute claimed the most awards for any single retailer, receiving accolades for their premium matcha, gyokuro, and genmaicha teas. In India, Jay Shree Tea won the most awards of any single company. They were recognised with two Gold awards, including one for their experimental Steamed and Panned Darjeeling, along with three Highly Commended teas. Sri Lanka also earned seven awards overall, with high quality Ceylon teas demonstrating the region’s continued excellence in the global tea market.

China contributed some standout teas including Sichuan Emei-shan Zhuyeqing Tea’s scented jasmine, which was recognized not only for its superb quality but also for its artistry in tea making. Sichuan Emei-shan Zhuyeqing Tea was also honoured with The Leafies Pioneer Special Award for their impressive contributions to the industry. The Nepali tea community was also recognized this year, with Sandakphu and Nepal Tea Collective both winning Gold awards for their exceptional teas, highlighting Nepal’s growing prominence in the global tea industry.

New Categories and Innovative Teas

For the first time, The Leafies introduced a “Fruit and Herbal Infusions” category, which saw two extraordinary entries from Quinta de Soalheiro of Portugal. Their Lemon Verbena and Chocolate Mint infusions received glowing praise from the judging panel.

This year also marked significant recognition for retailers, with products like Birchall’s Great Rift Breakfast Blend and Copenhagen Sparkling Tea’s Jasmine, Darjeeling, Chamomile tea winning awards.

Commitment to Sustainability and Social Impact

An ongoing commitment from The Leafies to celebrate trail blazing tea companies in areas such as environmental stewardship, community empowerment, innovation and education is represented through a selection of special awards,with winners including the women-owned cooperative Kazi Yetuin Tanzania and Kaley Tea in Sri Lanka for its impressive sustainability initiatives.

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Being a born and bred Brummie, 200 Degrees’ head of sales Ben Riley is especially proud of this win: “With thousands of students and academic staff requiring regular caffeine breaks, we’re expecting to help University of Birmingham satisfy this demand with tonnes of great tasting coffee and a boat load of hot chocolate! This is a huge achievement for a roaster of our size, and we are over the moon to be working with the University for the years ahead. We’re really excited for what’s to come and how we develop this partnership.”

Commercial director Will Kenney added, “Public sector tenders are incredibly competitive and complex, and 200 Degrees has shown the strength of our wholesale offering by winning this client. We’ve already proven the crowd-pleasing nature of our coffee with the success of our 21 shops, but this process allowed us to really showcase our client management skills and our commitment to delivering a bespoke, personal touch. We’re looking forward to helping University of Birmingham provide better coffee over the coming years.”

Chris Mellins, director of food, beverage and retail for University of Birmingham, said: “We are excited to have 200 Degrees as our official coffee partner. At the University, sustainability is one of our key strategic pillars, and it’s crucial for our Food, Beverage and Retail department to embed sustainable practices into all aspects of our operations, including our partnerships. 200 Degrees shares our commitment to these values and aligns with our ambitions in this area – and their coffee is excellent too!”

200 Degrees continues to go from strength to strength in the multiple pillars of its business, with wholesale boosted by the launch of its Coffee 2Go offering earlier this year. A high-end automated machine, the first unit has already been making waves at a student accommodation site in Nottingham, with further units on order for university locations in the city. The brand is also about to sign on the dotted line the deal for its 22nd coffee shop, which is due to open before the end of the year.

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The YouGov survey, conducted with over 2,000 UK adults, also uncovered widespread confusion about where tea comes from – 87% of people don’t realise Africa is the largest exporter of black tea, with some even believing it comes from Yorkshire.

This lack of knowledge has prompted Birchall Tea, known for its award-winning blends, to launch the #CheckYourBag campaign. The initiative urges tea lovers to rip open their tea bags and take a closer look at what’s inside. According to Birchall, it’s time for the UK to wake up to the difference in quality between premium tea leaves and the lower-grade offerings that dominate the market.

With 77% of survey respondents prioritising taste when choosing their tea, Birchall is inviting people to see and taste the difference for themselves by comparing the contents of Birchall’s Great Rift Breakfast Tea with the mass-market brands.

With tea as Britain’s favourite beverage, the #CheckYourBag campaign could make people rethink their daily brew.

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This initiative underscores Birchall Tea’s commitment to sustainable and ethical practices while supporting Tusk’s vital African wildlife conservation efforts.

Birchall’s master blenders have discovered rare Tanzanian teas to bring this rich tasting breakfast tea to life. Inspired by the vibrant wildlife of the Serengeti, the new blend has a bold, refreshing taste that will make any morning come alive.

All of Birchall’s award winning black teas are sourced from East Africa, since this is where the very best teas are found. The high altitude, lush volcanic soil and heavy rainfall of this equatorial area combine to create the perfect set of conditions for producing tea of unparalleled flavour.

Daniel Graham, managing director of Birchall Tea says he and the team are delighted to be launching Birchall Serengeti this year.

With the partnership with Tusk in its infancy, he says the tea business is proud to collaborate on a new product together.

“This will raise awareness and generate funding to protect endangered wildlife in Africa,”Graham explains. “This is also the first tea in the UK to contain these rare Tanzanian teas.”

This collaboration aims to raise significant funds to aid Tusk’s mission to help increase awareness, funding and wider support for Tusk conservation partners’ efforts across Africa.

Birchall’s black teas are sourced exclusively from East Africa, where we have supported good causes to help communities and wildlife for over a decade.

Birchall Tea’s donations will directly contribute to Tusk’s efforts to protect endangered species, conserve habitat, enhance biodiversity, promote human-wildlife coexistence and deliver environmental education.

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Sound familiar? It may if you are standing behind a Gen Z or younger millennial consumer in a coffee shop on any given day. New research by conducted by UK-based coffee roaster Lincoln & York finds that nearly 40% of those aged 18 to 34 are drinking more coffee out of home than in previous years and are also more likely to customise their drinks to suit their tastes.

Lincoln & York surveyed more than 1,000 consumers in the UK between the ages of 18 and 65+, and almost a quarter of the respondents said they are drinking more coffee today than they were five years ago — a trend predominantly driven by younger consumers. Approximately 40% of those aged 18-34 report increased out-of-home coffee consumption. In contrast, almost 45% of consumers aged 55+ are drinking less coffee away from home than they were previously.

Lincoln & York’s research further revealed that 75% of consumers in the 18 to 34 group ‘always’ or ‘occasionally’ opt for a flavoured syrup in their coffee. The report published to mark the company’s 30^th anniversary, also finds that consumers still favour traditional sweet flavours, with caramel ranking as the top syrup choice, followed by vanilla and then hazelnut (and then chocolate and cinnamon, respectively).

The research also found that whether through flavour preference or dietary requirements, 37% of those aged 18 to 34 now choose alternative milks, such as oat, almond, soy, or coconut, in their coffee. This preference for alternative milks also extends to iced coffee options with the younger age bracket twice as likely to choose alternative milk in their iced coffee than those aged 55+.

Additionally, according to the report, iced coffee ranks as the third favourite coffee option among younger consumers, ahead of the ever-popular flat white and cappuccino. Conversely, iced coffee is one of the least popular drinks amongst those aged 55+-with less than 3% stating this was their drink of choice away from home. [Among all survey participants, the most popular coffee by type is latte, cappuccino, flat white, filter coffee and black Americano.]

Lincoln & York’s research also found several significant changes in coffee preferences over its three decades in the industry.

When the business first started roasting coffee back in 1994, a dark roasted blend of Arabica and Robusta beans was the core offering. Today, changing consumer tastes mean the business sees a much bigger demand for 100% Arabica blends, and for medium-lighter roasts, which allow the individual flavours of the coffee to stand out.

Over the past decade specifically, Lincoln & York has also seen a major uptake in demand for speciality coffee. Almost half of those surveyed in the independent research have said they would ‘always’ or ‘occasionally’ pay more to try a special blend or single origin coffee, demonstrating this demand for new and increasingly higher quality coffee options in recent years.

“During our 30 years in the industry, we’ve experienced the rise of UK coffee culture and have played a key role as menus have evolved from white or black coffee to the ultra-customisable and even experimental coffee offerings we see today,” said Ian Bryson, managing director at Lincoln & York, adding, “with younger consumers more likely to customise their drink or opt for speciality coffee, this trend is set to continue.”

To meet these evolving needs, Bryson noted that “operators need to embrace customisation and signpost the options they have available for consumers to make their drink their own. Customisation also presents an opportunity for operators to demonstrate their expertise, for example by recommending a blend or roast profile to best suit a certain milk alternative.

From how often consumers go out for coffee to the drinks they are choosing and how they are choosing to drink them, it’s evident from the research that coffee drinking habits in the UK are evolving. Per Lincoln & York’s report, “younger consumers are going out more, and opting for iced coffees, alternative milks and flavoured syrups. Whereas older consumers are choosing to stay in and are opting for hot, milky coffees. These trends may indicate the future direction for the UK coffee market, with a growing emphasis on diversity and customisation in coffee offerings.”

Download Lincoln & York’s full consumer coffee trends report here.

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Having launched last month across UK flights, all international easyJet customers can now enjoy selected Costa Coffee drinks across all 1,184 easyJet routes to 170 destinations in 35 countries.

To celebrate the launch, Costa Coffee’s master of coffee, Gennaro Pelliccia, surprised holidaymakers onboard an easyJet flight from London Gatwick to Rome with a special coffee experience at 30,000 feet.

Passengers were treated to complimentary goodie bags and a selection of beverages from Costa Coffee’s newly launched inflight range, from a Salted Caramel Latte to a frothy Cappuccino, which has been developed in collaboration with easyJet.

Excitement brewed onboard as Gennaro – renowned for his unmatched expertise and passion for coffee – shared his secrets and stories behind crafting the perfect cup of Costa Coffee

Gennaro Pelliccia, commented, “It was an absolute pleasure to bring the Costa Coffee experience to life in the sky. Sharing a perfect cup of coffee with passengers as they embarked on their trip to Rome was a dream come true. Our Italian heritage continues to inspire us every day to reimagine new coffee experiences for coffee fans all around the world. Collaborating with easyJet allows us to make every journey – even in the air – just that little bit more special.”

Russell Braterman, in flight retail director for easyJet, said, “We are always looking for ways to enhance the onboard experience for our millions of customers and bring them more of the choices they want when they fly with us, so we are delighted to launch this new range with Costa Coffee onboard all our flights, which makes a fantastic addition to our popular EAT DRINK range onboard.”

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In the UK, it is estimated that consumers use between 2.5 to 5 billion disposable paper cups per year, with few of those reported as being recycled. With 76% of people who purchase hot beverages to go relying on single-use equivalents, the research reveals that more work needs to be done in order to shift consumers away from their reliance on disposable hot beverage cups.

There is a huge opportunity for takeaway hot drinks outlets to adopt simple practices to reduce the significant single-use waste produced. In the US, for example, many cafés and coffee shops offer reusable cups for sale, a discount to customers that use one, or have a cost-effective returnable cup program. Furthermore, many outlets offer seasonal reusable cups to entice consumers to buy and use them, particularly in the fourth-quarter (e.g., Starbucks signature red reusable annual holiday cup) and Earth Day (bright green cups are ubiquitous).

In 2023, to help reduce single-use waste and alter attitudes towards disposable items, more than a dozen cafés in Stirling, Scotland offer customers the option of reusable cup for to-go drinks in return for a £1 deposit. The deposit could be reclaimed at any café participating in the Ditching Disposables Stirling scheme. (Click here for the full story.)

The flexibility of returnable and reusables allow outlets to establish a concept that best suits its operations. By purchasing a given number of returnable cups, organisations can either collect a small deposit from customers, which is then refunded on return of the cup, or implement a borrow charge if the cup is not returned within a set period. According to the survey, some programs are even simpler, by trusting customers to return the cups and ensure a circular economy of reusables within the outlet.

“This survey clearly shows the opportunity on offer to forward-thinking catering outlets as they look to reduce their reliance on single-use packaging,” said Dan Dicker, CEO and founder at Circular&Co. “There’s a clear appetite for more returnable cup schemes and reusables among those buying takeaway hot drinks regularly, which gives businesses the opportunity to make significant commercial and environmental savings, all while improving their appeal to the growing number of environmentally conscious customers.”

• 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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Developed by Twinings Master Blenders and expert herbalists, Twinings Sparkling Tea infuses tea and botanicals with sparkling water and fruit juice, fortified with essential vitamins and minerals.

Twinings new Sparkling Tea comes in three delicious fruit flavours, each with unique properties to encourage positive wellbeing:

• Defence: Orange, passionfruit and elderberry with Chinese green tea leaves and fortified with Zinc and Vitamins C and D to support your immune system.
• Refresh: Raspberry lemonade with hibiscus and Chinese white tea leaves and fortified with Magnesium, Niacin and Vitamin C to lift mind and spirit.
• Boost: Lemon with ginger and lemon balm infused with Indian black tea leaves and fortified with Vitamins B6, B12 and C to energise your day.

The Sparkling Teas are rich in antioxidant vitamin C and contain a range of vitamins and minerals. The range is also free of any artificial sweeteners or colours, created with no added sugar and less than 50 calories in each can.

Twinings’ latest innovation responds to consumer demand for a new way to enjoy tea. Consumer testing of the Sparkling Tea found that 9 out of 10 who sampled said they would recommend the product to a friend after trying, commenting that it far exceeded their expectations.

Harnessing 300 years of expertise, Sparkling Tea is the latest innovation at Twinings, expanding its range of cold products following the launch of Coolers last month.

Gill Close, marketing director for UK & Ireland at Twinings, said: “After years of research and development, we are thrilled to finally be able to share Twinings Sparkling Tea. At Twinings, we are passionate about crafting the highest-quality teas and infusions to create refreshing moments for our consumers – and our new ready-to-drink product means they can enjoy the feel-good taste of Twinings wherever they are.

“Available in three delicious flavours, Twinings Sparkling Tea is the perfect pick-me-up to help combat the mid-afternoon slump; a treat to put a spring in your step while feeling good about yourself. Our ambition is to empower people to get the most from life, enabling them to make small changes by making positive health and wellbeing enjoyable and more accessible.”

Twinings Sparkling Tea will be available to purchase from Amazon, Holland & Barrett, Twinings.co.uk and select Waitrose and Sainsbury’s stores – with a recommended retail price of GBP £1.89 per can.

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Customers will be able to pick up free Podback bags from baristas in all 133 Costa Coffee stores located within Tesco stores across the UK, and nine Costa Coffee stores in the Swindon area, then take back their full bags for recycling. In addition, Podback-branded recycling points have been installed in the participating Tesco stores to make it even easier to spot opportunities to recycle pods. The scheme accepts both plastic and aluminium pods from any Podback member brands, including Costa Coffee pods for Nespresso, Tassimo and NESCAFE Dolce Gusto machines. The list of locations that the drop-off points will be installed are also now on Podback’s website here.

The rollout of the new recycling points began in August, building on Costa Coffee’s existing in-house pod recycling scheme. Together, Podback and Costa Coffee will aim to collect more pods for recycling through specialist facilities, where the different materials they are made from can be separated to enable them to be recycled.

This trial marks the latest step in Costa Coffee’s efforts to provide recycling options for packaging items that can’t easily be recycled at home or kerbside. Back in 2018, the brand worked with Valpak, an environmental solutions and resource management company, to establish the UK’s National Cup Recycling Scheme, which helped fund cup recycling infrastructure across the country. The scheme, now supported by many of the UK’s other major coffee brands, highlights the importance of collaboration in advancing new recycling solutions. Now, Costa Coffee will become the first UK coffee chain to collaborate with Podback to introduce customer-facing pod recycling points.

Rick Hindley, executive director of Podback, said: “This trial gives Podback customers the opportunity to drop off their used pods at local Costa Coffee stores, a response to customer feedback telling us people want a choice of ways to recycle that fit with their daily lives. We are excited to be working with Costa Coffee and Tesco to make this a reality in more than 140 locations across the country. We are sure Podback customers will welcome the new service, and hope that it is the first step to rolling out more drop-off locations throughout the UK.”

Liz Higgins, head of sustainability at Costa Coffee, said: “We are always looking for new ways to make it easier for our customers to recycle our packaging. Through this trial with Podback, in-store drop-off points will offer coffee pod users the chance to conveniently recycle their pods with us – whether they are Costa branded or not. The new front-of-house recycling units will be supported by increased messaging in store, which we hope will act as a reminder to customers when visiting our participating stores. The trial will allow us to gather valuable customer feedback and insights, which we will use to enhance our future recycling solutions for pods, cups, and other packaging materials.”

Catherine David, director behaviour change and business programmes WRAP, said: “The trial with Costa Coffee is a fantastic way to normalise and simplify recycling coffee pods. Due to their multiple component materials, these pods must be sent to a specialist recycling facility. Now, customers can easily drop them off in any participating Costa Coffee store. Making recycling simple is key to success, and capturing trickier items like pods at scale is an important step forward.”

Through the Podback scheme, used aluminium and plastic pods are recycled in the UK. Aluminium pods are recycled in Cheshire and used in the manufacture of beverage cans and car components. Plastic pods are recycled in Yorkshire and used in the manufacture of a range of items, including packaging crates and building products. The used coffee grounds are processed by anaerobic digestion facilities, producing renewable energy (biogas) and soil improver.

The locations of all drop off points will also be added to the Recycle Now Recycling Locator (managed by WRAP) – the UK’s only postcode-based search tool for people to find out what they can recycle at home, or at nearby locations.

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Known for its house blend coffee, with tasting notes of chocolate, butterscotch and berries, Kiss the Hippo Soho celebrated the launch day with complimentary coffee and pastries on Monday 2 September between 11am-2pm as well as live music entertainment.

Located at 30 Golden Square, W1F 9LD, the new Kiss the Hippo café boasts a minimalistic modern feel. Designed by London based architects, EBBA, the coffee counter is designed to be the focal point whilst the timber lining to the walls provides a comfortable and inviting environment.

By serving premium, ethically sourced, and sustainably roasted coffee – Kiss the Hippo is committed to becoming a haven for coffee lovers in the Soho area. Serving its signature blend of house espresso, an array of single origin and decaf options, the café will also offer a range of pastries, cookies, focaccias and more.

The independent company has won the UK Barista championships three times and has a range of compostable pods and coffee bags for use at home. Kiss the Hippo has also launched a new line of merchandise to celebrate the Soho launch.

Kiss the Hippo’s brand director, Irem Aksuyek, says of the opening: “As London’s first carbon negative coffee company, we are driven by a deep commitment to excellence in every cup. At the heart of our mission is our passion for creating exceptional, handcrafted coffee experiences that reflect the vibrant energy of London. Now, we are thrilled to bring our expertly curated café experience and exquisite bean-to-cup coffee to the heart of Soho. We can’t wait to share our passion for great coffee with this iconic neighbourhood.”

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In full, the new range includes:

• NEW Peppermint & Spearmint Organic Infusion (Available in Waitrose, Ocado, and Sainsbury’s)
• NEW Chamomile & Peach Organic Infusion (Available in Ocado and Sainsbury’s)
• NEW Blackcurrant & Blueberry & Organic Infusion (Available in Waitrose, Ocado, and Sainsbury’s)
• NEW Orange & Turmeric Organic Infusion (Available in Ocado)

Each blend is made from high-quality natural ingredients, sourced from organic farms. True to the Clipper brand, no harmful pesticides or chemicals are used across the entire supply chain and each product is fully organic. The plant-based and biodegradable tea bags are also unbleached.

By targeting key need states with signposts such as ‘soothing’, ‘uplifting’ and ‘unwinding’, the range meets increased demand for functional ingredients that support wellness.

The fastest-growing in the Infusions segment, Clipper is boasting value growth up 55% over the past year, outperforming the category at significant scale.

Hannah Williams, Clipper Teas senior brand manager at Ecotone UK, said, “Our Infusions have always performed well and resonated with consumers, but more recently, we’ve gained a larger share of the market segment thanks to growing interest in Clipper’s strong ethical credentials such as our organic and B Corp certifications. Our Infusions aren’t just delicious, but also fully organic and natural when compared to the competition – while also making organic infusions more accessible. It’s the full package.

“As a pioneer in ethical tea and the No.1 sustainable brand in tea via The Good Shopping Guide, we want to keep growing our organic infusions to ensure sustainable farming becomes the norm in tea production. We believe these flavours will have strong consumer appeal: especially with our vibrant new packaging designs that stand out on shelf. If you’re choosing Clipper, you’re choosing a good tea – one that’s organic, natural and supports shopper well-being.”

Clipper has also reimagined the packs of some of its most popular Infusions with a bright and impactful packaging design and more direct product names. It has renamed popular blends: Snore & Peace, now called Sleep Time and award-winning Restoring Roots, now called Ginger & Turmeric. Both are available at Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, and Tesco and have an RRP of GBP £3.40.

Clipper was the first tea brand to launch unbleached, non-GM and fully biodegradable tea bags. Its infusions are Soil Association certified, and even the string is organic. The packaging for the new infusions is also fully recyclable – including the paper envelopes that enclose each tea bag.

All of Clipper’s teas are blended and packed in its factory in Beaminster, Dorset, which the brand has called home for 40 years this year.

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The Signature collection complements the company’s diverse line of coffees, focusing specifically on small-batch seasonal single-origin offerings from across the globe. This is a project born out of passion and a love of the very best coffee. Farrer’s dedicated team of roasters have painstakingly handpicked and selected premium single-origin coffees from some of the most sought-after coffee crops produced from small single-estate plantations.

The latest additions to the range include Boa Vista, a coffee from Brazil, in South America. Boa Vista Farm is a 52-hectare farm run by Anderson Monteiro, whose family first became involved in coffee production in the 1970s and ever since has been producing quality innovative coffee. This particular coffee has a distinctive creamy body bursting with notes of tropical fruits, lemon and honey, rounded off with a floral finish.

The second coffee is from La Gloria Estate, in Panama, Central America. Finca La Gloria is located in the highlands of Boquete and is part of the estate owned by Norberto Suarez and his family. It was first registered as a farm in 1904 and has been growing in this renowned coffee-producing area ever since. This coffee has a smooth body, with some background citrus notes and flavours of tropical fruit and caramel.

The third coffee is Mubuga Natural from northern Burundi, in Central East Africa. Mubuga Washing Station, located in the Ngozi region of Burundi, is owned by Bugental, a family-owned farm-to-roaster business, which supplies a network of very small-scale farmers. This coffee is complex, with notes of blackcurrant, and stone fruits including ripe plums, finishing with hints of dark chocolate and smooth caramel.

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Although we are seeing declining interest rates in the US, Europe and the UK, there are still concerns around the macroeconomic backdrop as inflationary pressures remain and will continue to pose near-term challenges (even plain grocery store coffee beans cost 22% more than three years ago). Hence, consumers are still cautious with their spending, cutting back on foodservice purchases — and even reducing spend on their beloved java from their favourite coffee shops. Declining sales including same-store sales – a result of lower foot traffic – (and a sagging share price) is what led to Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan being forced to step down (Brian Niccol, CEO of Chipotle was named as his successor) as the multinational coffee chain strategizes to turn things around.

Despite the economic uncertainties, consumers – both older and younger consumers – still enjoy purchasing coffee from their favourite coffee shops (some 62% of millennials will still spend up to $7 per day on coffee) because they feel it is a small indulgence, but maybe now not as frequently. Many consumers are no longer purchasing these ‘treats’ daily in efforts to control their spending.

CashNetUSA recently released study identifying the cheapest areas across the United States to buy a cup of coffee. It found the average price of a cup of coffee in local indie cafés and chains and ranked them by state and city and also compared these prices to the average local wage to determine affordability.

Quite surprisingly, Maine has the cheapest coffee while South Dakota – not New York or California – has the most expensive. CashNetUSA revealed that a cup of coffee in South Dakota costs USD $3.79, 45.76% more than in Maine ($2.60), the cheapest state. South Dakota takes over from Washington, which was the most expensive state according to its 2021 report. The cost of coffee in Washington has actually fallen on average. South Dakota’s has jumped by 63.36% from $2.32. Maine is one of 12 states where the average cup costs under $3. These states are mostly towards the Midwest or South of the country.

The study found that at an average of $2.13 per cup, Irving in Texas has the cheapest coffee of any US city. This is also $0.91 cheaper than the average cup across Texas.

The state of Oregon has the fifth-highest average coffee price, at $3.51. Two Oregon cities are the only ones in the US to offer the average coffee cup at a price north of four dollars: Eugene ($4.39) and Salem ($4.16). According to CashNetUSA, these are also two of the least affordable cities when comparing coffee prices with local wages.

Mississippi has the least affordable coffee compared to income. In Mississippi, a cup of coffee costs nearly one-fifth (18.28%) of the average hourly wage. The study found that this is the least affordable coffee of any state, although the average cup in Mississippi is only the 11^th most expensive ($3.30). Massachusetts (where a cup of coffee costs 10.31% of the average hourly wage) has the most affordable average coffee, closely followed by Washington (10.85%).

Olympia, WA, has the most affordable coffee; Eugene, OR, has the least — CashNetUSA reported that it costs just 8.11% of the average hourly wage in Olympia, Washington, to pay for the average cup of coffee. Olympia is followed by three California cities: Oakland (8.33%), San Francisco (8.75%) and San Jose (8.76%). A fourth – Torrance (9.51%) – also makes the top ten most affordable cities for coffee. Eugene, Oregon, is where a cup of coffee costs the biggest chunk of the local average hourly wage (19.59

While national and multinational coffee chains have launched many more promotional offerings this year, particularly this spring and summer, to date, I do not believe any have dropped their prices. But as they battle for consumers’ prized discretionary income, I wonder if they will begin engaging in QSR-like price wars?

For the full CashNetUSA report, 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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Food and drink that is awarded 2 stars is deemed ‘Outstanding’ – going above and beyond delicious. Less than 10% of entries achieve this rating every year, and Dualit is one of them. Products awarded 1 star are judged as ‘Simply delicious’, delivering fantastic flavour. Around 25% of entries receive this star rating every year.

Here is the list of all the awards, as well as notes from the judges, that Dualit has received in the 2024 Great Taste Awards:

Dualit Intense Aluminium Coffee Pods: 2-Star

“Lovely crema matched by a very comfortable mouthfeel, acidity is pitched at just the right level and the dark chocolate notes are well measured. The addition of milk adds greatly to the sweet notes of molasses and chocolate. We loved this.”

“This is a coffee with presence. An assertive flavour, true to the description of a dark roast. There is some complexity and a touch of brightness to temper that darker note. The addition of milk adds a lactic sweetness but in no way muffles the bold character of this coffee. Nuts and chocolate certainly, this has a satisfying finish, we like what we are left with. A good coffee.”

“Thick bubbly crema with a smoky, mineral and earthy nose. Those characteristics are the keystone of this coffee, but it also delivers richer notes through the acidity, cocoa and toasted nuts. It is complex and just manages to balance itself to make a convincing cup of coffee.”

Dualit Decaf Home Compostable Coffee Pods: 1-Star

“Lovely crema, thick, rich and inviting. For a decaf, this is bursting with flavour and is largely well-balanced. We detected some earthy spiciness which was well balanced in the mouth and offered a pleasing finish. Adding warm milk, it developed well to give a complex spiciness with some additional sweetness, that whilst some judges thought a little thin, nevertheless gave us all a balanced finish.”

“Wholesome coffee aromas and a bubbly crema full of body. That full-on coffee lands on the palate and brings with it some fruity notes and cocoa, intertwined nicely, with a good silky texture. A little sour on the finish, but well roasted, tasty and satisfying – an excellent decaf.”

Dualit Organic Colombian Home Compostable Coffee Pods: 1-Star

“Vibrant, enticing aroma. A satisfying taste with reasonable complexity and acidity. Bouncy fruitiness combines well with the darker coffee character. A good coffee to serve with or without milk – we find the addition of milk does nothing to muffle the personality of the coffee.”

“Good, thick crema on a coffee that shows considerable complexity. Controlled acidity is matched with an intriguing level of fruitiness – grapefruit perhaps. The addition of warm milk adds an element of lactic sweetness to the drink and rounds everything off into a perfectly satisfying cup.”

“Nice viscous crema and a good coffee nose to this. The texture follows through on the palate, as does the strong coffee flavour, which also holds some bitter chocolate that sits well with the coffee. There is a nice back up flavour of stewed fruit, mature and comforting, leaving a long and pleasant aftertaste.”

Dualit Americano Compostable Coffee Bags: 1-Star

“As a bag coffee, it has performed beyond our expectations.”

“Lovely rich aromas from the bag, which dissipate gently as it brews in the cup, retaining the richness well. On the palate there is a good rush of flavour, smooth and in harmony with itself. Nothing specific but a great blend and depth of flavour that leaves a long finish and makes for a satisfying cup of coffee.”

Dualit coffee products are available at dualit.com

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It marks five winning years in a row for Pact Coffee, and the company’s Buenos Aires Decaf was one of only seven decaf coffees to win a two-star award this year. 

Other winners were its seasonal single-origin, Rich & Chocolatey Christmas Filter, and its Single Estate Microlot Filter, which is available in Waitrose and Whole Foods stores. 

The Great Taste Awards is recognised as the Oscars of the specialty food and drink world. The unmistakable black and gold Great Taste logo is a sign many consumers look for when buying food and drink, and it’s a stamp of excellence that is recognised by retailers and consumers alike.

Tens of thousands of products are put past the judges every year in a blind tasting, and the judge’s said Pact’s Decaf Buenos Aires “wears its decaf nature very lightly”.

Will Corby, Pact’s Director of Coffee, said: “We’re thrilled to mark five years in a row of winning Great Taste Awards, and this year is particularly special to us”. 

“We’ve stuck to our guns on decaf coffee since we began, always roasting the same standard of coffee that’s on our non-decaf menu no more than seven days before delivery. This is a marked difference from a lot of other decaf on the market, and it’s fantastic to see it awarded with the famous black and gold logo”.

The award rounds off an eventful 12 months for Pact Coffee, who have launched in Waitrose and Whole Foods and roasted their highest annual total of coffee yet over the period. 

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Blank Street has continued to build a strong base of customers since opening in the UK in 2022 with its innovative and delicious offerings such as the viral Blueberry Matcha and staples such as cold brew, the classic flat white.

Mancunians will be able to head to the new store to get their coffee (or matcha) fix, and they’ll also be able to try out the new summer menu which includes Blank Street’s most refreshing offerings yet. The new summer menu sees Blank Street move away from the classic milky base of their matcha lattes and experiment with new flavours and lighter textures. Providing a burst of juicy fruits combined with refreshing sparkling bases, the drinks are an instant hit of sunshine, regardless of Great Britain’s weather.

The new menu includes Mango Passionfruit Matcha, Watermelon Matcha Spritz and Yuzu Matcha Spritz. Remaining on Blank Street’s summer menu is the best selling white chocolate matcha, which saw the brand’s classic ceremonial matcha blend combined with white chocolate oat milk, and instantly became one of the brands most popular drinks.

“We’ve been met with such a warm reception in Manchester already and have been so excited to hear that Mancunians want more locations from us,” said Ignacio Llado, UK managing director at Blank Street. “We’re so proud to announce that our third store in the city will be at the iconic Trafford Centre, where we’re excited to hopefully be fueling shopping trips and hangouts with friends with our famous matchas and classic cold brew.”

Blank Street Trafford Centre is located at Cafe Outside 40 Regent Crescent, The Trafford Centre, Barton Dock Road, Trafford Park, Manchester, M17 8AR.

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The latest Fruit Cooler portfolio has been specially crafted to be brewed hot and enjoyed chilled. Just infuse one tea bag in 200ml of freshly boiled water for three minutes, allow to cool, and enjoy over ice. The new Fruit Cooler flavours are:
• Peach: delicate peach-flavoured infusion with rosehips and white hibiscus
• Tropical: delicate pineapple-flavoured infusion with roasted chicory root and orange peel.

Harnessing 300 years of innovation and expertise at Twinings, the new Fruit Cooler range responds to consumer demand for different, refreshing ways to enjoy tea. Data from Twinings shows that 32% of UK consumers have enjoyed iced or cold tea and infusions in the 12 months up to November 2023 (Source: Twinings Demand Landscapes Quantitative study (FiftyFive5), Nov 2023). They also complement Twinings’ existing range of infusions, which can be brewed hot and enjoyed over ice.

Each carefully curated blend is tried, tested, and crafted by Twinings Master Blenders, with an experienced consumer sensory panel enhancing the product’s development. “From our rigorous consumer research and monitoring of global consumption trends, we know consumers are always looking for new, exciting ways to elevate their cold drink experiences – from working at home to drinking with friends,” said Gill Close, UK & Ireland marketing director at Twinings. “That is why we’re delighted to introduce a new way to enjoy our infusions with Twinings Fruit Coolers – providing an easy and delicious way to stay refreshed and experience more in every moment this summer, by making our new Fruit Cooler the way you want to drink it, hot, over ice, with or without your garnish of choice or even mixed with some sparkling water.

He added that “this latest investment in the cold drink space reaffirms our long-standing commitment to innovation and evolution – creating the best tasting drinks for the evolving needs of consumers and empowering them to take a moment of cool refreshment.”

Twinings’ new range of Fruit Coolers are available to purchase at twinings.co.uk and Amazon now, Waitrose and Tesco beginning 5 August, and Sainsbury’s from 21 August – with a MSRP of £2.49 per pack.

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