Trend Alert: What’s Brewing? By Candace MacDonald

The rise of coffee shops is old news, but restaurants across the country are stepping up their game when it comes to coffee and tea programs.  As we predicted in our 2016 Trend Report guests everywhere are saying “I wanna a new buzz.”  Nitro-coffee continues to be popular.  Cameron Mitchell Restaurants is having much success with cold brew coffee and nitro coffee on tap in Schokko Art Café in the Columbus Museum of Art.  The creamy texture is stout-like and Beverage Director Ryan Valentine predicts that “Over time, these are going to move beyond coffee shops and become a lot more prevalent in restaurants.”

Tea is also stepping up its game and Match continues to be a standout in the tea world.  While you still may have to go to McDonald’s in Japan to try the newest version of the Matcha McFlurry, we think you’ll continue to see more MAtcha and other teas holding strong in light of the continued perceived health benefits of plant based diets. Offering a selection of origins is important as guests develop more familiarity with black, green and oolong teas.  For hotels in particular, offering local coffee and tea products is an easy way to give guests that oh-so-coveted “local” vibe.

Check out Ramping Up Coffee and Tea Menus on Nations Restaurant News for more insights.