What’s next for coffee?

“I think a big trend we’ll start to see blossom as lockdowns end and consumers become more comfortable leaving their homes is a drive to build an experience.

“Coffee-drinkers have had to learn how to make or recreate their favourite beverages at home, so they’ll need something beyond great coffee to entice them back into shops. From what I’m seeing already, I think this will either be through increased acts of service and hospitality but also, perhaps, in offering more complex drinks than could be easily achieved at home or building/designing unique spaces.

She agrees that social media proficiency has been vital in driving and maintaining a customer base – proven during the pandemic and set to continue. “Anecdotally, those shops who performed best in the pandemic were prolific in their communications about their offerings and changes to service as lockdowns began and eased, further cementing cafés and coffee shops as community centers, even in the digital world. I think we’ll continue to see social media play an increasingly important role in driving a return to café spaces, understanding community desires to build more customer-centric offerings, and driving growth.”

Learn more about what’s in store for cafés and discover great stocking ideas by downloading Café Buyer here.