Cold Coffee Heats Up
After a drought hit Brazil, which cut supplies from a country that produces majority of the world’s coffee beans, there has been a lot of chatter about rising coffee prices. Despite the severe weather in Brazil, coffee has recently been more of a feast than a famine.
With new products, delivery methods, and flavours hitting the market, coffee is both heating up and cooling down. Cold coffee, in particular, is gaining traction, with Starbucks SBUX +0.7 percent expanding to a wide range of stores and widening the category.
Variations on the coffee habit are emerging from all corners of the market, ranging from cold coffees to high-end instants and healthy blends, as well as novel delivery alternatives to rekindle consumer interest. Starbucks is rolling out drive-throughs and “pick-up stores,” where you can order coffee to go from your phone and pick it up later, while Coca-Cola is replacing baristas with robots. Cannabis-infused drinks are gaining popularity, but when it comes to potent beverages, coffee reigns supreme, and the Brazil chill isn’t likely to change that.
