Tis the season for festive iced beverages?

Image: Kerry

This may be the season for festive, warm and cozy beverages as temperatures drop, but many European consumers prefer their coffee or tea iced this year. According to the 2023 Art of Taste & Nutrition: Festive Edition research report from Kerry, a Naas, Ireland-based taste and nutrition provider, iced beverage launches are up 7% over 2022.

The report, which details key trends in new seasonal beverage flavours and formats across 14 key European markets (including Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom), finds that despite the typical need for ‘winter warming’, iced beverages now account for 23% of all festive/holiday season new-product launches — with hot beverages comprising the balance (77%). The Benelux and German markets lead the way in iced beverages, with 50% and 45%, respectively, of launches in those regions. Indulgent brown and spiced flavours remain essential for the holiday season with an increase in iced frappe formats as cold beverages become a year-round menu item.

For Winter 2023, seasonal beverages continue to be a key trend on menus to deliver excitement and novelty for consumers while driving in-store traffic for foodservice operators. Per Kerry’s Art of Taste & Nutrition: Festive Edition, the top three festive trends this year are:

  1. Flavour Evolutions: Consumers are craving new and adventurous flavours, but they are wary of spending too much on something they might not enjoy, so they do not want anything that seems too ‘out there’. To meet this need, brands are using well established tastes but getting creative with naming to convey a more exotic and seasonal offering. For instance, instead of simply calling the flavour ‘orange’ the flavour profile has evolved to ‘mandarin’ or ‘clementine’. This has the bonus effect of making the product seem more premium.
  2. Warming Seasonal Flavours: Foodservice operators are catering to the season with the addition of warming winter spices and indulgent brown flavours. Joined by the always popular caramel, chocolate and toffee, local seasonal favourites like cinnamon, cardamon and gingerbread enhance the occasion.
  3. Delightful Indulgence: The holidays can be a stressful time for everybody so brands are spotting an opportunity to create a relaxing ‘feel-good’ moment in their customer’s day. The report observes a rise in flavoured hot chocolate, mochas and delicious frappes for that added ‘treat yourself’ indulgence. Elevated toppings, such as flavoured cream, delicious sauces and tasty biscuit/cookie and chocolate inclusions, add a sprinkling of festive magic.

In terms of festive flavours, the report, which analysed 250+ 2023 winter beverage launches, shows that similar to the past two years, chocolate still leads the way, with gingerbread a close second:

Top Five Festive Flavours

  1. Chocolate (14%)
  2. Gingerbread (13%)
  3. Caramel (7%)
  4. Toffee (7%)
  5. Cinnamon (5%)

Past Festive Flavour Favourites 2022 2021

  1. Chocolate Chocolate
  2. Gingerbread Gingerbread
  3. Caramel Caramel
  4. Hazelnut Orange
  5. Cinnamon Cinnamon

When choosing which type of beverage to be the base for the festive flavours, the latte far outranks other beverages (although it seems odd that the mocha is last while chocolate is the number one flavour since mocha is chocolate and coffee…):

Top Beverage Platforms

  1. Latte (47%)
  2. Hot Chocolate (22%)
  3. Frappe (9%)
  4. Hot Tea (7%)
  5. Mocha (3%)

However, while consumers may indulge in limited-edition festive flavours during the holiday season, the Art of Taste & Nutrition: Festive Edition also reveals that many consumers are being mindful of their sugar and/or calorie intake.

Commenting on the new report, Daniel Sjogren, vice president of foodservice for Kerry Europe, said, “Our research shows that the shift toward simultaneously enhancing both indulgence and nutrition has influenced menus across Europe this festive season, and in fact far more noticeably than ever before. With many foodservice operators still searching for ways to translate these trending recipe advances into their menus, for the time being this trend is being driven predominantly by leading innovators.”

“The big challenge for foodservice beverage product developers going forward is maintaining appealing, indulgent beverage flavours while also reducing sugar and calorie content,” explained Sjogren. “These sugar-reduction efforts will pay off decisively by also improving sustainability credentials and success in this area. This is particularly helpful in reaching the mainly younger consumers who prioritize sustainability as a key purchase driver.”

To download the 2023 Art of Taste & Nutrition: Festive Edition report, click here.

Whether hot or cold, merry festive beverage indulging! Happy holidays and best wishes for a joyous, peaceful and healthy New Year!

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