20 cafe trends you need to know in 2024

On-the-go snacking trends

The on-the-go customer is a captive audience. They may be looking for a quick bite to take back to the office, a snack to munch in the car on the way home, or an easy breakfast that can be eaten on the hoof. For a long time these consumers have been fobbed off with high sugar, high salt, high fat options that left them feeling sluggish, rather than energised for the day ahead. But this is changing. Fast. Producers are moving with the times, responding to consumers who are looking to get more out of their snacks than a quick burst of calories. The market today is filled with nutritious bars, pots and packets to consider amongst your listings.

1. Cereal Bars

Once dominated by sugary varieties, often made by big cereal corporations, today the landscape for cereal bars is a changed place. One filled with products that have done away with excess added sugar, choosing instead to pack each mouthful with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, spices and natural flavours, designed to make eaters feel satisfied for longer.

Products to stock

Veloforte Orange & Cacao: A chocolate and orange-flavoured bar, filled with crunchy toasted seeds, fruit and whole foods. The bars are vegan, all-natural, and contain no added sugar.

Nairn’s Crunchy Oat Bar – Raisin, Apple & Cinnamon: Crumbly, crunchy gluten free bars made with wholegrain oats and natural flavourings, and with 50% less sugar than the average cereal bar.

Raw My God Keto Bar: Free from gluten, high in fibre and vegan, these coconut and peanut packed ketogenic bars are packed with 15% protein.

2. Healthy

Fibre and gut health are huge buzzwords in snacking right now. Shoppers are picking up and inspecting packets to understand how everything they put in their bodies will impact their overall health. They want snacks laden with goodness…and most often that comes in the form of nuts, seeds and fruit. Look out for nibbles and bites for your to-go section that deliver on genuine health claims while tasting delicious.

Products to stock

Bio&Me Spiced Apple Porridge Pot: New from The Gut Health Doctor, free from gluten porridge, with no added sugar or hidden nasties. This recipe includes apples, almonds, dates and seeds.

Squished Blueberry Rescue Fruit Balls: Each 40g pack is made with 50 blueberries ‘rescued’ from becoming surplus waste. With no added sugar, gluten or nuts.

Pip Organic Pineapple & Mango Pipstick: Real fruits are cut, dried and mashed into these 100% fruit bars with nothing added. They are full of fibre for slower energy release, and count as one of your five a day.

3. Easy Lunch

Breakfast and lunch are the most overlooked meals of the day, with many of us reaching for things we know aren’t optimal for health (or taste) just to get by. Stocking healthier, genuinely easy solutions for your customers will put you in their good books. Be it cheese or charcuterie selection boxes or salads to take away, or more wholesome dips, to be taken away with a box of seeded or rye crackers, or some vegetable sticks.

Products to stock

Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses Perfect British Cheeseboard: Keenly priced, and with just enough cheese for one hungry person, or two to share, this collection includes 18-month aged Sunday Best, Button Mill and Blacksticks Original.

Suma Organic Edamame Hummus: An award-winning dip, made with organic edamame and green soya beans. Spread on toast, crackers or in sandwiches.

ChicP Hummus and Breadsticks Snack Pot: A perfectly portioned, nutritious on-the-go snacking option, combining crunchy breadsticks and a delicious hummus dip.

4. Protein

Protein makes us feel fuller for longer, sustains us, and should stop us seeking out a sugar rush. There are loads of ways you can help your customers get their protein fix, including some truly innovative snacks.

Products to stock

Cheesies Cheddar: Pure, tasty real Cheddar with a sharp punch is baked to perfection to make these crispy bites which are super high in protein.

Buck n Bird Salami Crisps: Gluten free, keto friendly, protein rich pure salami crisps with a snappy bite. Each 100g is made with 246g of premium salami.

Tuk In Bombay Mix: A protein packed medley, mingling together a medley of sweet, salty, savoury, salty bits and pieces such as nuts, seeds, pulses, whole spices and more. Every mouthful is different.

Foodservice trends

Consumers, it appears, have two things in mind when visiting foodservice settings. Firstly, they crave comfort, familiarity and nostalgia. When dining out of home they want to feel nurtured and taken care of, and to find flavours and brands that they know and trust. Secondly, they’re seeking discovery. Of new, exciting tastes and concepts. It’s a fine balance to get your offering right but, as a general rule, aiming for 80% traditional, and 20% ‘new’ will help you meet expectations, while trialling flavours and products to see what the ‘next big thing’ could be with regulars. 

5. Condiments

The classics will never go out of fashion. It’s a must to have mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard in your wheelhouse, alongside a decent malt vinegar if chips make an appearance on your menu. Alongside these firm favourites, introduce regular ‘specials’ to keep your offering fresh and exciting. Flavoured mayonnaises, hot sauces, hot honey and rayu are all increasing in popularity right now.

Products to stock

Stokes Sicilian Lemon & Dill Mayonnaise: Made with real lemon juice and free-range eggs. A light, tangy, zingy little number that’s very special alongside seafood, including good old fish and chips.

White Mausu Peanut Rayu: Part of a new generation of condiments now available in the UK. Crispy garlic, peanuts, sesame and Korean chilli flakes bound in oil. Perfect over avo and eggs.

WilderBee Hot Honey: This ethical wildflower British honey is taking off in the UK big time. Infused with sustainably grown Scotch Bonnet chillies for a fiery kick.

6. Baked Goods

You can never go wrong with pies, pasties or sausage rolls. Provided they have a high meat content and the quality is there, they are a fantastic offering in food service that won’t let you down. Neither will cakes. Again, quality matters here, as does portion size. Consumers want to treat themselves, but they’re being more cautious, looking for smaller slices of cake, or cake bars that they percieve to be a more ‘permissive’ indulgence. Flavour-wise, chocolate, citrus flavours and ginger are hitting all the right notes in cakes and baking at the moment.

Products to stock

The Original Baker Hog Roast Sausage Roll: A bestseller for the bakers. Flaky, all-butter puff pastry, filled with British pulled pork, Bramley apples and sage and onion. Finished with a crackling crumb.

Horsham Gingerbread Bakehouse Original Recipe Gingerbread: A rich, intensely flavoured gingerbread made with flour from the Weald & Downland Living Museum to a 200-year-old recipe.

Just Desserts Lemon Sponge Cake: A light, fluffy lemon sponge sandwiched between a layer of cream and finished with sweet sugar nibs. Housed in sustainable and recyclable packaging.

7. Chutney & Pickles

Much the same as condiments, consumers are looking for ‘old friends’ as they sit down to dine. You really cannot go wrong with a premium caramelised onion chutney, or a classic sandwich pickle. What you do have to consider, though, is how natural your choices are. Diners these days are wising up to ultra processed food, so work with producers who make their pickles the good old-fashioned way, using ingredients we all have in our cupboards at home.

Products to stock

The Bay Tree Spicy Tomato & Caramelised Onion Chutney: A customer favourite for this brand. Supremely versatile, working in sandwiches, alongside ploughman’s, and tucked into a hot dog or burger.

Cottage Delight Cheese Maker’s Pickle: Fruity berries, tangy rhubarb, juicy plums, carrots and onions come together in this delightful pickle that is a dream in cheese sandwiches.

The Garlic Farm Fig, Apple and Garlic Chutney: This tempting (and gluten-free) chutney partners beautifully with cheese and game dishes, and also compliments curries, casseroles and rice dishes.

8. Ingredients

The best food starts with excellent ingredients and truly trusted suppliers. Investing in premium pays off in speciality foodservice settings, such as garden centre and farm shop cafes. Your customers want to smell, taste and feel the quality of what they are eating, whether that’s the sauces on the table, the filling in their sandwich, or the flavours bound into their cake. 

Products to stock

Maldon Salt Chilli and Garlic Sea Salts: Now available in catering sized tubs. Maldon’s inimitable natural sea salt flakes, enhanced naturally with either chilli or garlic. Brings a burst of flavour to everything.

Firetree Chocolate Create with Firetree Chocolate: Firetree’s ethical, rich volcanic chocolate in easy melt form. Available in 1kg and 2kg resealable pouches, or 10kg boxes.

Foodie Flavours Creamy Buttery Caramel Natural Flavouring: Infuse your cakes, bakes, ice creams and desserts with the true, luscious flavour of buttery caramel. This flavouring is completely natural.

Hot drink trends

You simply cannot beat the feeling of a soothing, warm cup of cocoa, tea or coffee in your hands. These drinks form part of most of our daily rituals. A pick-me-up in the morning. An afternoon energy boost. Or a soporific, mindful sip before bedtime. In a foodservice setting, consumers are increasingly leaning on providers to bring them affordable moments of luxury, with visits to cafes, particularly, on the up. They’re seeking out premium coffee from sustainable, reputable sources, hot chocolate made with real cocoa and less sugar, for wellbeing blends that support their mind and body, and decaf options which taste just as good as the ‘real thing’.

9. Tea

Most retailers know customers are loyal to their favourite brands when it comes to tea. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be swayed if you find something truly special you want to share with them. What matters to them most is flavour, followed by ethics. If you can demonstrate that what you’re putting in the cup will give them the mouthfeel and taste they love, while being better for the planet and for workers in tea plantations, you’re onto a winner.

Products to stock

Good & Proper English Breakfast Blend: Designed for tea drinkers who need a bit more punch in the morning. The 100% compostable bags combine Assam and Ceylon with rich Kenyan black tea.

Bird & Blend Great British Cuppa Tea: Available loose or in biodegradable teabags, this balanced blend of whole black tea leaves is refreshing and full-flavoured. Great with or without milk.

Ahmad Tea Beyond the Leaf: An exciting luxury collection in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Featuring four classic blends including Garden Afternoon.

10. Coffee

Coffee drinkers are less brand loyal than tea drinkers and enjoy flirting with new blends and roasters to expand their knowledge and broaden their palates. In addition to your house coffee and regular favourites, it’s worth bringing in a ‘coffee of the week’ or ‘coffee of the month’, sharing in-depth tasting notes and product information at point of sale in store, and on social media to create a buzz. Where coffee does align with tea is in its sustainability. Consumers are keen to know more about the origins of beans, and how they impact the environment. They are looking too, for really good decaf coffee, made in as natural a way as possible, such as using the Swiss Water Method. 

Products to stock

Farrer’s Colombia La Cabana: From a third-generation family of coffee producers, renowned for their commitment to quality. This coffee reveals notes that vary from floral, to strawberry and vanilla.

Pact Coffee Bourbon Cream Espresso: A creamy, chocolatey dark roast coffee, inspired by the Bourbon biscuit, which was created on the site where the Pact office stands today. An award-winning blend.

Lost Sheep Coffee Loving the Decaf: A bold, indulgent, chemical-free decaf with a medium-dark roast profile, boasting notes of chocolate, and a decadent sweetness. Crafted in small batches.

11. Alternative Brews

Innovation is bursting through in the alternative tea category, with significant R&D being put into creating blends that solve consumer issues – be that lack of sleep, anxiety, menopause symptoms, indigestion…or even skin complaints. It’s an interesting sector that shows no signs of slowing down, and it’s well worth trialling a few types to see what resonates with your customers. Decaf brews with added chamomile and lavender for relaxing with a scone in the late afternoon, perhaps? Adaptogen-infused herbal teas to help those ‘laptop warriors’ focus? There is a huge choice. Start small, and track results before committing to large orders.

Products to stock

Mashie Hot Berry Drink: A range of naturally caffeine-free and guarana and green tea-powered drinks made with real berries and nootropics. To be enjoyed hot or iced.

Summerdown Peppermint Tea: A bright, invigorating, award-winning tea showcasing English peppermint at its finest. Made to a secret recipe using the estate’s own mint leaves and barrel-aged peppermint oil.

Hampstead Tea Sleep Well: Pop on your PJs and prepare for the ultimate cup of dreams. Smooth and relaxing, this is subtly sweet, with chamomile and vanilla balanced with golden rooibos.

12. Hot Chocolate

As a category, hot chocolate is taking off. Consumers are evermore aware of how ‘clean’ their cup is, searching for varieties made with single origin cocoa, and real milk, while stepping away from sugary powders filled with artificial additives, which have long reigned in the hot chocolate arena. If powders work best for you, ensure they are as natural as possible, boasting ‘real’ ingredients. But for a premium offering you’ll be wanting chocolate flakes. Curate a mini cocoa list, offering a range of strengths, from milk (for sweeter palates) up to decadently dark for true chocolate enthusiasts. Don’t forget to stock up on essential toppings too to upsell – such as mallows and whippy cream.

Products to stock

Modern Standard 52% Colombian Cacao: A delicious, creamy, dairy-free hot chocolate made using the best Fino de Aroma beans from a family-run business in Columbia, with 10p per bag donated to social impact projects.

Islands Chocolate 45% Hot Chocolate: Made using the brand’s own sustainable cocoa from the Dominic Republic. Has a deep cocoa flavour with a jammy sweetness, creamy mouthfeel, and gently acidic finish.

Choc Affair Classic Oat M!lk Hot Chocolate: Plant-based, sustainable oat milk chocolate flakes crafted in the heart of York. Simply add a plant-based milk of your choice for a deliciously smooth moment of indulgence. 

Cafe snack trends

The introduction of HFSS legislation has opened out the snacking category like never before. Alongside constant winners (crisps, nuts, chocolate) which will never lose shelf appeal, there are now swathes of wild and wonderful treats to consider – from fruit and vegetable crisps, to seasoned corn and pulses, and imaginatively-flavoured popcorn. And consumers are latching onto these newcomers, attracted by their claims of being natural, low in calories, fat or sugar, and (where appropriate) high in protein. It is definitely worth considering adding some of these lines to your counter or grab-and-go selection. Benchmark test them amongst your team or customers first – not all new wave snacks are created equal, and it’s taste that will ultimately drive repeat purchases.

13. Crisps

You simply cannot go wrong with crisps. We have an enduring love for them in the UK, and the only thing that changes is our attitude to flavour. While hot and spicy varieties took off in a big way a couple of years ago, the market has tempered down slightly, and producers are reporting that it’s traditional, and meaty varieties that are hitting the mark with consumers right now. They crave ready salted, cheese and onion and salt and vinegar, but also relish dipping into a bag of roasted beef crisps. Don’t underestimate the power of tortillas either. Away from potato crisps, it’s these Mexican bites that are capturing imaginations around Britain, with more and more people seeking out an authentic taste experience. If you have guacamole or dips on your menu, trial real corn or blue corn tortillas. They are also worth considering adding to boxes of takeaway hummus bowls.

Products to stock

Blanco Nino Creamy Jalapeno: Award-winning slow-cooked corn tortilla chips in 100% recyclable packaging. Naturally gluten free and vegan friendly.

Fairfields Farm Prawn Cocktail: The team are super proud of the farm’s newest flavour, which is creamy, tomatoey, a touch herbal, smoky and utterly addictive. Lovely alongside a glass of fizz.

Two Farmers Hereford Bullshot: Sold in completely compostable, biodegradable packs, these crisps (made with the brand’s own potatoes) are seasoned with a hint of spice, and real Hereford beef extract.

14. Nuts

Nuts have broad appeal – working as conversation starters in restaurants and bars alongside a drink, or as a high-protein, nutritious grab-and-go snack, filled with healthy fats and energy – exactly what today’s consumer is looking for.

Mix up your offering so you have something for both traditionalists who love salted or dry roasted nuts, as well as tumbled, flavoured and spiced varieties for more daring snack seekers. Chocolate coated nuts and fruit are proving especially popular right now.

Products to stock

ManiLife Deep Roast Salted Peanuts: Made with the brand’s signature highest-quality, single-estate peanuts, deeply roasted to create a more intense flavour profile and then simply lightly salted.

Good Things Smoky & Spicy Nut Mix: A combination of nuts in a moreish coating of addictive smoky spices. Meets the new standard of HFSS compliance in the UK.

Cambrook Baked Cashews and Peanuts with Chilli & Lime: The very best nuts seasoned to perfection in a zesty, tongue-tingling combination of chilli and lime. An excellent partner in crime to light beers, crisp white wine and spritzes.

15. Chocolate

Sweet somethings will always pique interest at the counter. Much like coffee, consumers are looking more thoughtfully at the sustainability claims of chocolate – from the cocoa and sugar within, to the packaging. Technology has come a long way, and there are now several single-serve options available in either recyclable paper or boxes, or compostable wraps. Brands are thinking more carefully about sourcing too, choosing to work with suppliers who put the environment and people first. 

Products to stock

Gnaw Honeycomb & Crunchy Caramel Snack Bar: A 35g treat, swirling Gnaw’s ethical milk chocolate with pieces of honeycomb and snaps of caramel. In 100% compostable packaging.

Love Cocoa Blonde White: Ethically-sourced ingredients come together in this smooth bar of caramelised white chocolate with buttery, toasty vanilla notes. The packaging is 100% plastic free.

Fatso Sweet Tart: Made with sustainable cocoa and 100% plastic free. This is the latest offering from the quirky chocolate brand, packing dark chocolate with cherries and almonds.

16. HFSS Compliant

Offering healthier snacks is a given these days. But healthy no longer means those sugar-laden breakfast cereal bars propped up alongside the juice bar. We’re talking freeze dried fruit chips, seasoned pulses, jerky, and alternative crisps that pack a punch without cramming in calories.

Products to stock

Soul Fruit Freeze Dried Keo Mango Chips: The goodness of a whole mango in one 20g bag. These supremely crunchy snacks taste of pure sunshine, with nothing extra added.

Clearspring Green Nori & Tamari Brown Rice Crackers: Low calorie, low fat, nutritious brown rice crackers. These deliver a crispy texture and oodles of natural umami flavour.

Boundless Smoky Bacon Chips: Pure plant-powered protein. These gut-friendly vegan chips are one of the first snacks to be made with the ancient grain sorghum, which is activated to release its goodness.

Soft drink trends

As well as your tea, coffee and hot chocolate offering, soft drinks are an essential part of any cafe set up. But what consumers are after has dramatically changed. Sure, you will always have the stalwarts who want their cola and lemonade, but there has been a mindset shift in this category, which has bedded in over the last 12 months, moving from the shadows into the mainstream. The desire today is for fresh whole fruit juice, for low calorie sodas made without artificial sweeteners, and for functional drinks that bring added health benefits.

17. Juice

Juice has had a bad rep thanks to products that muddied the waters, diluting down the goodness, and adding in sweeteners. The tide is turning though, with farmers in the UK especially, diversifying into juice, making use often of ‘wonky’ fruit that would otherwise be rejected for sale based on looks alone. Steer away from anything artificial in juice, and hone in on brands made with 100% fruit, ideally in cans or glass.

Products to stock

Maynard House Orchard Apple & Elderflower: A blend of the farm’s traditional, characterful apples, grown in Suffolk, married with the aromatic, heady taste and aroma of elderflower. 

Juist Still Apple Juice: Made in Armagh by fourth generation apple farmers. A crisp, beautifully sweet, naturally cloudy apple juice in a can. Bursts with flavour.

Bensons Totally Fruity Raspberry & Apple: Award-winning, natural still juice, pressed with whole fruits on the brand’s National Trust farm in the Cotswolds. 

18. Gut Friendly

Talking about our gut health is no longer a taboo. The conversation has shifted out of the lab, and even the everyday consumer, who isn’t hitting the gym or making green smoothies each morning, is considering how what they eat and drink is feeding their microbiome.

A plethora of new drinks brands, dedicated to promoting better gut health, have brought real excitement to the soft drinks category. Ignore them at your peril. Often low in sugar and made without ‘nasties’, they are ticking an awful lot of boxes.

Products to stock

Fhirst Lemon Lime: An all-natural, zero sugar gut loving soda packed with 2 billion prebiotic cultures and 5g of stable prebiotic fibre. It tastes great too.

Agua de Madre Lemon & Ginger Water Kefir: You’ve heard of dairy kefir. But what do you know about water kefir? Made in the same way, this is lighter, fresh, and full of goodness for the gut.

LA Brewery Blush: A new format for this kombucha, which is made by fermenting the finest grade teas, and flavoured naturally with summer flowers, hops, elderflower and rhubarb for a gentle pink blush in the glass.

19. Alt Sodas

These are the drinks daring to make a difference. Low in sugar and calories, with intriguing flavours, and often added adaptogens, vitamins or other wellness-boosting ingredients, consumers are loving them as an alternative to traditional cans heavy in sugar.

Products to stock

Dr Funk Immune Edition Lemon Elderflower: A natural, sugar free drink, combining hints of elderflower and lemon with added zinc, and vitamins C, D3, B6, B12, niacin and biotin to support immunity.

Nuisance Drinks Pink Grapefruit & Basil: A low calorie, lightly sparkling drink matching a tangy burst of pink grapefruit with the soft, herbal, fresh notes of basil.

Sansu Yuzu Seltzer: Contains 4% pure yuzu juice, and no sugar or sweeteners. The drink has a luxurious, exotic citrus scent and taste.

20. Dairy

Milkshakes are a firm family favourite and should always be on offer if you operate a farm shop or a cafe that attracts younger diners. ‘Natural’ and ‘low in sugar’ are two claims to look out for, with a very high appeal at the moment for products made with raw or organic milk too. On the dairy front, more grown-up options to consider include RTD coffee, which has come a long way, and is becoming a grab-and-go drink of choice, and kefir, which taps into the gut-health and functional trends.

Products to stock

Dorset Dairy Co Strawberry Kefir: Made with the farm’s own milk and yoghurt, fermented with kefir cultures and flavoured naturally with fresh, ripe strawberries.

Lost Sheep Coffee Iced Mocha: Made with the brand’s award-winning, fully traceable Get to the Hopper beans. Packed with chocolate flavour and less than 85 calories per can.

The Real Milkshake Company Salted Caramel Milkshake: A silky smooth, sweet and salty drink, made in Devon with local milk, and all natural flavours. Comes in a 100% recyclable carton.