Winter is on its way, the nights are drawing in and the temperatures are dropping – which is good news for all of us in the coffee business!
The time of year has a real impact on the types of coffee customers like to drink, and as autumn turns to winter, drinkers tend to eschew the iced coffees, and reach for warm, comforting and calorific concoctions.
With that in mind, we’ve prepared a definitive guide to coffee comfort – categorising common coffees into three comfort categories, with a mark out of 10 for comfort, so you can select the right winter warmers to promote to your customer base.
Not comforting
Coffees in this category might be delicious, but they’re not really comforting. Sales of these coffees are likely to drop off a bit during the winter months, so it’s best to focus any promotion and marketing efforts on other styles.
Iced coffees – have you seen the weather?! It doesn’t matter how much cream you put on top, these are best reserved for the spring and summer.
1/10
Espresso – short, dark and powerful, it’s the coffee equivalent of someone slapping you on the back, and telling you to get on with your day. A practical pick me up, but hardly comforting!
3/10
Americano – a simple, familiar black coffee. Warming, but more invigorating than uplifting.
4/10
Slightly comforting
Now we’re getting somewhere. Coffees in this category will provide a warm, uplifting drink on a cold winter day – but there are better options out there if you’re looking for true comfort and luxury.
Macchiato – adding a little milk to your espresso does make it softer and more comforting, but it’s still a touch serious.
5/10
Flat White – like a more serious cappuccino, a flat white is definitely delicious, but too utilitarian to be truly comforting.
6/10
Latte – even in its most basic form, a latte is a pretty comforting coffee – warm, milky and wholesome. Add spiced, flavoured syrup, and a blob of whipped cream, and you’re supercharging it into “cuddle in a cup” territory!
7/10 (basic)
A cuddle in a cup
This is comforting coffee territory. Perfect for cold winter days, these preparations are the perfect coffees to promote to your customers until spring arrives.
Cappuccino – sophisticated, luxurious and familiar, there’s little better for the soul than fighting off the cold with a delicious cappuccino.
7.5/10
Breve – a latte not calorific or comforting enough for you? Swap out the milk for half milk/half cream, and you’ve got the Breve – a coffee that’s super comforting, but can still pass as a grown-up drink.
8/10
Mocha – because chocolate makes everything better. Finish off with whipped cream, chocolate powder, syrup and sprinkles for the ultimate in coffee comfort.
9/10
Irish Coffee – hot coffee, Irish whiskey, sugar and cream. Need we say more?
10/10
