Trends we saw in 2016

Posted on: 2016-12-02 12:03 PM

Each year about this time, we look back at coffee shop trends for the past year so coffee shops can see what their competitors have been doing to be successful. Whether you run a coffee shop, café, restaurant, kiosk or otherwise offer specialty coffees in your store, this list of 2016 coffee shop trends that we saw last year.
 
Sense of Place
 
Everyone’s over the cookie-cutter cool that’s defined coffee shops for the last five years. You know the look: Blond wood, giant chalkboards, exposed pipe, Remy stools, vintage barn pendant lights.
 
As living and eating locally has become the trend du jour, consumers are more interested in neighborhood nostalgia and are looking for a coffee shop with an authentic sense of place. If your store is located on the site of an old barn or a school house, then go with that. If not, do some research to discover the look and feel that will give your store a sense of place.
 
Relatedly, nature started to take center stage inside coffee shops in 2016, and the color green is now on trend. We’ve seen coffee shops with outside garden spaces, don’t be surprised to see mixed-use greenhouse and botanical coffee shops popping up towards the end of the year.
 
Interactive Shops
 
Coffee shops have always been an easy place to socialize, whether your customers are on a first date, taking office work “off campus” or catching up with friends from across town. In 2016, stores have become even more interactive. Notice the long communal tables, sugar and milk served family style, and baristas who get out from behind the counter to interact with customers. Genius Bar-type brewing classes will become popular, as customers see coffee as more of an experience than a beverage.
 
Signature Blends
 
Nearly every store serves at least one “house special” coffee, whether it’s a flavored latte or a single-origin coffee. Baristas have been embracing that trend to the next level and customer seem to love the signature mixed blends. By mixing coffees from different places and different roast levels based on a customer’s flavor preferences, a barista will create a bespoke coffee blend for each customer. The result: a customer experience that can’t be replicated at any other store.
 
On Tap
 
2015 was the year that iced coffee took off, and 2016 was even bigger. Customers are really enjoying cold coffee drinks straight from the tap like an upscale bar or lounge, and Nitro coffee (that’s seeped coffee infused with odorless, flavorless nitrogen gas, kegged like beer and served on tap) has continued to be a big seller.
 
Flavors, Flavors
 
Once considered the ugly stepchild of coffee, flavored coffee has become hot. In fact, Mintel Research reports that sales of flavored coffee are up 15%, with dessert flavored coffees leading the way. Put all the dessert-flavored coffees into a bucket, and sales are up a whopping 800% since 2010, Mintel research reveals. As we move into 2017, expect to see cold flavored coffees on tap, in frappes and on ice.
 
Mixed Use
 
Shops that focus on coffee have usually found that sales dip considerably from about 5pm onwards. That has prompted many stores to offer alternative evening and night time menus that entice morning customers back after dark. Applying for a liquor license and offering wine and cocktails is one popular choice.