Sponsored by Da Vinci
Whether it’s an extra pump of syrup in a latte or a mashup of seemingly inharmonious ingredients, customization has long been an important component in how guests place their coffee orders. Operators are offering a variety of milks, syrups and flavor combinations to satisfy guests’ demands for their own personal spin on coffee.
According to Technomic in its 2017 Flavor Consumer Trend Report, 65 percent of consumers like trying new flavors from time to time. In fact, 61 percent of consumers say the ability to customize their order is important when visiting a fast-food restaurant, and 62 percent say the same of a fast-casual restaurant.
Young Americans are especially interested in customizing their orders. According to Ypulse, three-quarters of 13- to 34-year-old consumers are interested in buying products which are personalized to their taste, and 91 percent find brands “somewhat” to “extremely innovative” if they offer personalized products.
Personalizing the beverage
“We feel it’s very important to be open to working with the customer to make a beverage perfect for them,” says Niki Kobrick, owner of Kobrick Coffee Co. in Jersey City, N.J. “We even designed many of our beverages so that our staff know what to recommend as replacements if someone asks for a variation.”
Kobrick Coffee Co., which has locations in New York, offers coffee drinks as well as cocktails and other beverages. The menu was designed for flexibility. “Everyone has a different palate and many people know what they like or don’t like,” Kobrick says. “As a customer service-oriented company we feel that it’s very important to understand that.”
For example, the Koco Freddo is made with cold brew coffee, coconut oil and egg white. “If a customer would like it without the egg white, we use aquafaba, a vegan substitute made from chickpea water,” Kobrick says.
Hold the dairy
The growing popularity of plant-based ingredients is driving many customized beverage orders these days. Certain non-dairy beverages, for example, are gaining momentum. “We find that coffees made with almond milks and oat milks have well and truly taken over soy as the most used milk alternative,” says Tom Rowse, manager at Hole in the Wall Cafe + Coffee Shops in New York. “While generally speaking, soy found its success through peoples' intolerances to dairy, it seems that now people choose almond and oat, not only as a health-conscious choice, but also as a taste preference.”
Rowse says oat milk adds a silky, smooth texture to a coffee drink while still allowing the coffee flavor to come through. Meanwhile, almond milk can add a natural sweetness to the drink.
At the pizza and ice cream concept Virtuous Pie, with locations in Vancouver, B.C., and in Portland, Ore., the entire menu is plant-based. The coffee and tea menu includes a selection of nut-based and nut-free milks. “Our guests love the oat milk,” says Chelsea Boyer, general manager of Virtuous Pie Portland. “It is a gluten-free milk, and very creamy and flavorful. Even our non-vegan guests have been impressed at how delicious it is.”
Cool off
As the weather gets warmer, another way to customize a drink order is to have it cold. Cold brew coffee is still gaining popularity, Boyer says, and Virtuous Pie offers it on tap. One variation is a seasonal drink called the Horchata Cold Brew. “We have a house-made horchata mix made with rice, cinnamon and sweetened with dates. Paired together, it is creamy and refreshing.”
Operators also accommodate consumers who want not only iced coffee, but also iced versions of their favorite roasts. At Olympia Coffee Roasting Co., with five locations in the Seattle area, one customer favorite is the pour over, which entails pouring hot water over the grounds in a filter, to extract the flavor. “The No. 1 off-menu modifier right now is ordering a single-origin pour over, but asking for it over ice,” says director of sales Honor Forte. “This brewing method is sometimes called Japanese Style iced coffee and it preserves more of the flavor balance and nuance than a slow cold-brewed process.”
Olympia also offers coffee cocktails, but customers don't try to add their own spin to these. “Much like a high-end cocktail at a bar, customers seem to want to try the finished beverage that the establishment has recommended,” Forte says.
Just add syrup
Sometimes consumers want to order something that is more familiar than elaborate. At Newport Beach, Calif.-based Ruby’s Diner, the Coffee Roasters are available in five flavors:
- Caramel
- Vanilla
- Hazelnut
- Dark Chocolate
- Sugar-Free Vanilla
“Our Coffee Roasters are a popular choice among guests looking to customize their coffee orders with an extra hint of flavor,” says Kellyn Kawaguchi, digital marketing manager. “Our most popular by far is hazelnut.”
Coffee drinks are not the only cold beverages which can be customized. The 35-unit Ruby’s Diner also offers a selection of shakes, including Coffee Shake, which features cold-brewed coffee and vanilla ice cream, and the Mocha Shake, which features vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup and freshly brewed coffee.
“Occasionally, people customize their shake orders,” Kawaguchi says. “It’s almost like a secret menu type of situation.”
Guests can customize shakes too. “If we have the shake ingredients for it, it can be done,” Kawaguchi says. “For example, if a guest wanted a Mocha Shake with added cookie dough and fudge swirl, we could do it.”
Whether it’s a complicated order with specific details for each step, or a coffee with a hint of a different flavor, operators are devising new ways to satisfy consumers’ need for customized coffee beverages.
