The rise of coffee shop cocktails

“Under lockdown var det mange som likte å brygge god kaffe og å lage cocktailer hjemme. Det ble populært å kjøpe kaffe av høy kvalitet for deretter å gjenskape sin egen favorittdrink eller -cocktail hjemme.”  Will Pitts, Kahlúa Global Barista og eier av Forts Café, London UK.

Coffee has been one of the most resilient categories during the Covid-19 pandemic[1], within the food and beverage market, as local coffee shops and brands find innovative ways to adapt to the new normal. The global market for Coffee Shops is projected to reach US$237.6 billion by 2025, driven by their role in society[2].

Since lockdown restrictions eased, coffee shops are experiencing increased sales not only due to the robust coffee culture but also due to the effervescent innovation in the industry. We’ve seen coffee shops introduce pick-up subscription services[3] and many cafés initiate home delivery of their roasts.[4]

Throughout lockdown, consumer habits towards brews changed as they were forced to stay at home and missed out on their local coffee shop experience. Many people turned to experimenting with different styles of brews at home. There was the global viral trend for #DalgonaCoffee, which in turn expanded into coffee cocktails and Espresso Martini’s galore for afterwork virtual hangouts.

Now that restrictions have lifted, coffee shops have the opportunity to diversify and adapt to the artisanal trend - becoming hybrids between cafes and cocktail bars, as we call them Barfés. We’re seeing an increase in businesses diversifying their product offering, with many cafes introducing cocktail menus and bars offering quality bean coffees.

The innovations we are seeing in the trade represent more than just a response to COVID-19, but a greater transformation of the global coffee industry, as coffee shops continue to find new and innovative ways to serve their communities.

Consumers are welcoming the innovation and creativity in the coffee industry, with 75% of coffee lovers admitting they are willing to try a coffee cocktail, according to a recent study conducted by Kahlúa[5].

Many coffee shops across the UK have responded to the new consumer demands with great coffee cocktail programmes, such as Forts in Margate, which is owned by Kahlúa Global Barista Will Pitts.

Commenting on the growing trend for coffee shop cocktails, Will Pitts, Kahlúa Global Barista and owner of Forts Cafe says:

“Over lockdown, a lot of people enjoyed brewing good coffee and creating cocktails at home. There was a huge trend of people buying high quality coffee from my shop, just to be able to re-create their favourite drink or cocktail at home.”

“The classic cocktail, the Espresso Martini, is a brilliant starting point for any coffee cocktail, and is an easy one to put your own personal stamp on. With limited cocktail equipment at home people had to be creative, but now that bars are reopening, people can enjoy coffee cocktails made by professionals with all the equipment” he says.

“As people become more educated about coffee, they are often keen to try new things, including interesting processing methods. So now we're here in a post work-from-home world, people are more excited than ever about coffee cocktails and are looking for that afternoon aperitif from their local coffee shop and cocktail bars!”

Since the restrictions have eased in the UK, Will has introduced a number of coffee cocktails to his café, including the “Zilber Zip”, which consists of espresso, pineapple tepache, Absolut Vodka, Kahlúa, orange wine and sherbet.

Here’s the recipe on how you can recreate that coffee cocktail at your local shop:

Zilber Zip
Double espresso
30ml Kahlúa®
20ml Absolut vodka®
30ml pineapple tepache[6]
25ml orange wine

Method: Shaken with ice and served with sherbet on the side of the glass.

“When it comes to coffee, there are so many elements that come together to make a good brew and with the creations of coffee cocktails, it is still just as important to have a liquor that can reach the levels of quality provided by the coffee and methodology and that is why I always recommend Kahlúa” he comments.

Kahlúa is produced with 100% Arabica coffee, from the region of Veracruz, in Mexico, where the beans are planted as seeds, in shaded nurseries producing a high-quality coffee. The coffee beans are then roasted and brewed at room temperature, before being mixed in with the rum.

“Using Kahlúa is an awesome way to add body to any cocktail. With the rise of coffee cocktail hot spots at local cafes and bars, we’re going to see increased demand for a liqueur that can deliver on both taste and quality and Kahlúa provides both” Will says.

Follow Will on his coffee adventures at @willpittsyeah on Instagram and for further information about Kahlúa visit: Kahlua.com.

This October you can learn more about the future of the coffee industry and Kahlúa’s coffee credentials at the Virtual Global Coffee Festival on 30^th October, tickets are available to purchase at globalcoffeefestival.com

[1] The coffee category may be stable, but it’s full of innovation and competition, The Grocer, 2020.
[2] Coffee Shops - Global Market Trajectory & Analytics, Research & Markets, July 2020.
[3] Pret a Manger offers coffee on a monthly subscription, BBC News, 2020.
[4]London’s response to COVID-19, Eater London, 2020.
[5]But First Coffee, Consumer research commissioned by Kahlúa in the US, UK and South Korea.
[6]Tepache is homemade pineapple brew made in Mexico using the peels from the pineapple. Regular pineapple juice can be used.