It’s time to wake up to a new cuppa. Either with magic on your brew like the Unicorn Cappuccino or with luxury like the Gold Cappuccino. Given coffee’s popularity as one of the most loved beverages in the world, its growing demand drives the yearly trends within the segment.
We spotted the ones that give the best kick to your daily cup of Joe. While India remains a tea-loving country, it is already the seventh-largest producer of coffee in the world and if the growing trend is to be believed, India might become one of the world’s largest coffee-producing countries, according to CoffeeBI, an independent consulting firm.
Studies show a 40 per cent increase in the demand for coffee in India in the past decade alone. And with 66 per cent millennials in India choosing coffee as their preferred drink, according to Euromonitor, the beverage industry is working doubly hard to supplement the growth revenue by creating more options.
Hipster-fuelled trends
Take for instance, Matcha Cappuccino. Matcha, an electric green powder made from green tea leaves, has found its way into coffee too.
Besides being rich in antioxidants, it is packed with EGCG, a plant compound that promotes heart and brain health. The matcha in the cappuccino I ordered was from the farmlands of Kyoto, Japan.
Other interesting variants include the drool-worthy and photo-worthy Gold Cappuccino, Silver Cappuccino and the extremely pretty looking Unicorn Cappuccino, all made with edible cake glitter.
Not to mention, non-dairy coffee has become sought after with the growing number of vegans in India.
“To stay ahead of our game, coffee retailers need to prioritise innovation. Every year we go through published reports on coffee consumption as well as popular ingredient trends to see if we can add a bit of magic to your coffee in new ways,” says Dipanshu Narang, COO, Coffee Culture.
Recently, butter found its way into coffee. In this DIY concoction, add one tablespoon of coconut oil and unsalted butter (or ghee) into your coffee. Have it black. It’s a great source of energy and lubrication.
Nitrogen fueled coffee, a silken cold brew charged with nitrogen gas, sans milk or sugar, buzzes with an element of adventure as it is had straight from the tap and forms a froth similar to beer.
“Which is what makes it an evolutionary coffee beverage and contains close to 30 per cent more caffeine per ounce,” informs Narang.
Growth curve
According to The Coffee Board of India, the country’s coffee production in 2018-19 stood at 3,19,500 tonnes.
“Coffee, much like chocolate, is very adaptable. It doesn’t just feature in beverages and desserts but makes for an excellent barbeque rub as well. Base flavours of coffee range from sweet, like vanilla and caramel to savoury, like whole spices and nuts, and citrus, making it a very versatile ingredient,” says Sahil Mehta, coffee aficionado, and food curator at Cafe Tesu.
One of the few things he believes has made coffee popular is bean origin. At Tesu, for instance, they have collaborated with Devi Coffee under the umbrella of Sussegado Coffee India PVT LTD, Goa.
Devi Coffee offers over 30 variants of Indian coffee from coffee-producing regions Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. “Quality of a bean distinguishes good coffee and very good coffee,” he says. So whether it’s coffee in a mocktail, cocktail or a popsicle, what makes or breaks a trend is its origin.
Stamp of a good CUPPA
“Good coffee has a fresh, nutty aroma. If not stored, grown or roasted right, you could get a batch in which the signature aroma will be tainted with a rancid odour.
The best way to tell good coffee and very good coffee is to enjoy them at places that are conscious of where they sourcing from...bean origin is key to a cuppa good coffee,” informs Sahil Mehta.