Chef Chatter

Chef Chatter: Customers want more variety in coffee

Fredrick Heurtin talks about the influences and profitability of coffee in the fast casual industry.

September 18, 2018

Editor's note: Chef Chatter is a series featuring chef-authored blogs. If you'd like to write a Chef Chatter blog, send your idea to Cherryh Cansler at editor@fastcasual.com. Click here and here for past installments

By Frederick Heurtin, senior corporate executive chef, Golden State Foods

We all know coffee is important. Even if you don't drink it (how you function, we're still not sure), you know others can't live without it. Starbucks is one of the largest and most recognizable chains in the world; McDonald's has an entire portion of the menu devoted to McCafé, and just about every restaurant, bar and workplace in the world serves it. Coffee has always been important, but as we prepare for 2019 it's amazing to see just how far we've come from “black, cream or sugar?”

The many versions you can get, lattes, iced, spiced, nitro — which comes like beer with foam — are seemingly endless. Recent trends (and, probably, easy access to things like Frappuccinos) have positioned coffee as the new milkshake. As consumers become more health-conscious, they're seeing coffee drinks as a healthier, upscale version of dessert. Black coffee by itself has hardly any calories or fat in it, and consumers are also drinking more iced coffee as they drink fewer soft drinks.

What's new with coffee?

Coffee is starting to take the place of tea (how often do you see a tea restaurant?), but we're also starting to see coffee and tea combined. There are many flavors that work with coffee. Recently, we even tried coffee mixed with lemonade, which most would never think in a million years to put together, but it was surprisingly delicious! If you look at flavored syrups, nut-based and citrus are becoming more prevalent.

Coffee is being used more in conjunction with other spices, similar to chai. As we kick off Fall, we will continue to see pumpkin spice — which seems to be here for the long haul — but we're also going to see an increase in warm spices, such a cinnamon and nutmeg. Winter will still have the presence of the mochas and peppermints, but mocha is often enjoyed year-round.

One new item we're seeing on more menus across the U.S. is Vietnamese coffee, which isn't shocking following the increase in Vietnamese food influence. Vietnamese coffee is a dark roast and comes mixed with condensed milk. Another international trend is cortado, which is half warm milk and half espresso. In places like Miami, we're seeing Cuban coffee flip the standard and pour coffee into a glass of warm milk.

Even with all of these influences and trends, we create, and restaurants offer, based on the desires of the consumer, and one of the biggest concerns of today's market — particularly millennials — is sustainability. Nearly every quick service restaurant has a sustainability program these days, and that is no different in where our coffee is sourced from. Companies know they are held responsible, and they, in turn, hold their suppliers responsible, for providing sustainable products that consumers can feel good about.

Understanding coffee trends, and consumers' undying love for this beverage is imperative while we develop products to complement the never-ending search for the best coffee. But we continue to test and create recipes based on worldly influences, like my version of the Moroccan Spiced Coffee, which is a delicious way of savoring the flavors of coffee in a way that is new to many consumers in the U.S.

I think your customers will love it!

Moroccan Spiced Coffee

Ingredients:

1/2 cup whole coffee beans
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
4 cups water
Cream and sugar (optional)

Directions:

Place the coffee beans in a grinder and grind on course setting.
Place the ground coffee and spices together in a small bowl and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the bottom of a French press
Bring water to a boil and remove from heat. Allow to cool 1 minute.
Pour the water over the spiced grounds. Place the lid on the press leaving the plunger in the up position. Let brew for three to four minutes.
Serve immediately or pour into a pitcher as the coffee can become bitter from prolonged contact with the spices.
Serve black or with cream and/or sugar.

Inside photo by iStock Photos

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