The 6 biggest drink trends of summer 2024
Every year, drink trends change and customers want something different. If you’re a venue looking to keep up, read on to see what’s hot.
The 6 biggest juice and drink trends in Australian cafes and restaurants right now
As the festive season approaches, Australian cafes and restaurants are seeing a fundamental shift in how Australians approach their drink choices. It’s not just about quenching thirst anymore, or something sweet and refreshing. Consumers are looking for wellness products, high-quality local ingredients, and a unique experience they’re happy to pay a few more dollars for. See what’s ahead for summer - and beyond.
1. Native infused refreshments
Chefs have been building menus revolving around native ingredients for years now, but now any venue can get in on the trend with ingredients like Davidson plum, strawberry gum, finger lime and lemon myrtle showing up in soft drinks and mixers around the country.
Recent reports state the bush food industry will increase 10-fold in the years to come - considering the flavour punch and the cultural evocation of native ingredients, it seems almost strange that this trend is only taking off now.
However, now is the time for cafes and restaurants to get in before these drinks become commonplace - and as we approach summer and tourist numbers swell, there’s really no better way to show off what our country has to offer than with locally sourced ingredients that can’t be found anywhere else in the world.
>> Interested in native-infused drinks?
Check out ETCH sparkling
2. Functional beverages
From plant water to calming soda, the wellness trend shows no sign of slowing down. And for venues that want to entice the health conscious, functional beverages are the way to do it.
Make no mistake, these are not drinks designed to rev up as per old school energy drinks. These are drinks for sustained energy release and a calm nervous system - drinks designed to support and nurture you through your busy day.
Some drinks contain adaptogenics, a group of herbs known for assisting the body with stress responses. Some of these herbs are ginseng, ashwagandha, eleuthro, schisandra, rhodiola, shilajit, rhaponticum and cordyceps.
Other drinks contain vitamins and minerals, and sometimes they contain slow-release caffeine. But whatever the ingredients, they’re geared to optimise health and well-being for their target market.
>> Interested in functional beverages? Check out:
3. Advanced Craft Sodas
While functional drinks can often take the form of a soda, sometimes your consumer doesn’t need that much virtue, and is simply happy with quality refreshment.
These days, sodas have evolved from cocktails of chemicals. There is still some demand for basic cola and fruit-flavoured fizzy drinks, but increasingly, venues are offering craft sodas that contain natural ingredients without compromising on taste.
“We’ve seen a big jump in the popularity of Bobby this year,” says Michael from popular South Australian distributors, Orenda Goodness. “It's just a delicious range of Aussie crafted soft drinks with the added benefit of prebiotics which many people don’t realise.”
Craft sodas are appealing to the consumer who likes their non-alcoholic choice to be a little bit special. They’re usually made in small batches, and with their beautiful packaging and unique flavours like coconut, yuzu, mandarin, and grapefruit, your customers will have the perfect alternative to soda water on a hot summer’s day.
>> Interested in craft sodas? Check out:
4. Matcha and Specialty Tea Innovations
There’s no denying it - consumers have gone mad for matcha, the Japanese powder made from the young leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. The leaves are dried and ground in a slow process that’s centuries old.
Traditionally, matcha is used to make a thick water-based tea, but in Australian cafes, it’s most commonly served with milk as a hot or iced matcha latte. Many cafes have their own variations and have created other flavoured hot drinks to capitalise on the matcha trend.
“Our strawberry matcha is going absolutely mental,” says Daniel Sorridimi, co-founder of popular Sydney hotspot Blackwood. “We were one of the first to do matcha in Australia, so we also do a strawberry matha which has gone absolutely mental. And we’ve also created an iced coconut and lychee matcha, which is very different but very refreshing.”
“Additionally,” says Daniel, “we have our biscoff latte. It’s been on our menu for years and tastes like a warm hug.”
Another popular Sydney cafe, Harry’s in North Bondi, has also experienced a surge of interest for matcha products, and is known for its strawberry matcha, as well a blueberry latte that’s become an Instagram favourite.
>> Interested in matcha? Check out our Tea & Chai Suppliers
5. Cold coffee evolution
Whether it’s cold brew or just dreamy cafe crema (an Italian coffee cream), icy caffeinated concoctions are nothing new. But what is new is the sharp rise in demand for these drinks over cafe staples like traditional iced coffee.
Melbourne cafe Via Porta has seen the trend for themselves, with customers getting excited about the cold brew with cafe crema topping. “We also do a cold brew infused with cinnamon, honey and vanilla,” says Jonathan Cosentino who is part-owner of his family business.
One of the reasons cold brew is so popular is the extraction method, a slow 8-24 hour process that extracts less acidic compounds, leading to a less bitter taste.
Savvy venues like Via Porta are using cold brew as a base and adding creamy elements and flavoured versions to diversify their product and capitalise on a trend that’s set to grow this summer and beyond.
>> Interested in coffee? We have the widest range in Australia
6. Premium Juices and smoothies for time-poor venues
Included under the broad theme of wellness are juices and smoothies. Yes, they’ve always been around, but consumers these days won’t accept low quality, high sugar versions. They want healthy, thoughtful ingredients, ideally made on premise.
However, the cost of labour makes premise-made juice impossible for some venues. “Recently, we’ve seen a 20% increase in venues ordering cold pressed juices,” says Chris Seaton, Director of Brewing Brands. “With staff shortages, venues are struggling to make those cold pressed juices themselves, and so they’re looking for a solution to simplify this.”
Allie Szwarcberg-Poch from Allie’s Juices agrees. “Even with what's going on in the economy, we’re still seeing cafés stay true to offering high-quality beverages, with a trend towards more premium options.”
While some venues may be ordering less in terms of volume, Allie says that there’s no doubt that healthy juices and smoothies are not going anywhere. “We’re seeing milkshakes being swapped for smoothies made with real fruit,and people looking for juices that use Australian-grown produce and are minimally processed.”
>> Interested in fresh juices & smoothies? Check out:
What's next?
These trends reflect broader shifts in consumer preferences towards health-conscious, sustainable, and experience-driven beverages….and this means venues will need to reflect this in their offerings.
It’s not about following what’s hot, but about meeting evolving customer demands and creating new revenue streams. By incorporating some of these trending beverages into your menu, you can attract new customers while keeping your existing clientele engaged with fresh, exciting options.
If you’re creating your summer venue and are looking for suppliers, explore Beyond the Craft - Summer 2024.
With free shipping, a money-back guarantee,and no minimum order value options, this is your risk-free way to try new products and suppliers for your venue.
Categories
Trends
Food lover, restaurant-goer, hospitality appreciator, and writer of content at Ordermentum.
