Every summer comes a new wave of young customers looking for the latest and greatest in edible trends, and this year is no exception. According to Bloomburg, Americans are saying “no thank you” to large chains, favoring more unique individual and small chain restaurants. Everyone is looking for the newest, coolest spot with the most interesting menu.
Adding a summer special or new flavor to your menu could help attract new customers looking for a place to meet up with their friends. But knowing what new additions would bring them in and which would scare them away can be challenging. Staying too safe could make your menu blend in with your competitors’, but get too wild and customers may think you’re trying too hard to attract attention.
A few trends have popped up just in time for summer and, while some may not be a practical fit for your coffee shop or cafe, they may give you an idea for something that you can add.
Butter Coffee
This fatty beverage has been all over the media for a long time now. From The New York Times to Fast Company and everyone in between, Bulletproof Coffee has been a hot topic in the health trend world. Bulletproof 360 already opened up two physical locations — one in Santa Monica and one in Los Angeles — and just received $19 million in funding to further fuel its retail expansion. Needless to say, the fatty, oily drink doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon.
While Bulletproof Coffee is a branded name, coffee shop and cafe owners looking to attract the health trend crowd should definitely consider adding a buttery coffee drink to their menu. The infamous Bulletproof Coffee is made up of just three ingredients: coffee, grass-fed butter, and MCT oil. Adding this quick and simple beverage to your menu can attract people who are looking to try it or make it part of their daily routine, but don’t have the time to make it at home.
Avocados
If you had to pick one fruit that’s been the most buzzworthy this year, it’s avocados. From being named brunch’s unofficial food of choice to the big news that prices will skyrocket due to a reduced harvest that left countries that produce the fruit unable to meet rising demands. However, those rising prices shouldn’t stop you from adding a little green twist to your menu. Most people looking for a little bit of avocado are willing to pay extra for the novelty.
Es Alpukat, an Indonesian coffee and avocado smoothie, is a great way to add color to your menu this summer. Chocolate syrup and sweetened condensed milk makes this a sweet treat that you can put in a cool tall glass drizzled with chocolate or an old school milkshake glass. And don’t forget that putting a little extra effort in to make your drinks look just as delicious as they taste can work in your favor. One good Instagram post could be the difference between your store and a wave of new customers.
Collagen
Smoothie giant Jamba Juice announced it will be adding collagen to its boost menu, as well as a special “Poolside Fit” smoothie that includes collagen to help customers get that flawless beach-ready skin. Most notorious for it’s inclusion in tons of skin creams and dietary supplements, collagen is usually considered an aid to help skin health.
In powder form, it’s easy enough to add to just about any drink, making it a perfect upcharge or addition to your newest menu item. Add some to an iced coffee and name it your “Summer Glow Special”. Edible collagen powder is fairly inexpensive and can be an easy upsell for your customers.