News

Illycaffe launches ready-to-serve cold brew coffee

April 11, 2019

The weather is getting warmer, which means customers will increase their orders of iced coffee, but even in cold weather, it's popular among younger consumers. In fact, 66% of U.S. millennials regularly drink cold coffee on a year-round basis compared to 34 percent of Generation X coffee drinkers, according to Mintel Menu Insights. In an effort to help restaurants meet those needs, Illycaffe has launched Cold Brew Aria, a tap handle with an embedded adjustable valve that turns cold brew with bubbles — commonly called nitro cold brew — into an even richer-tasting coffee, according to a company press release. The tap handle-mounted valve draws in ambient air, requires no bulky gas tanks and is offered exclusively for use with Illy cold brew.

Coffee in a box?
The Cold Brew Aria system may be paired with another Illy innovation —  Bag-in-a-Box — a 5-liter soft filled package filled with cold brew, eliminating the need for baristas and other staff to manage and monitor up to 12 hours of preparation.

Designed for either tap or non-tap dispensing, when paired with a tap, the Bag-in-a-Box Cold Brew eliminates the need for delivery and storage of heavy, space-consuming kegs. Bag-in-a-Box cold brew remains stable during 9  months of ambient storage time and can be served for up to five days once the packaging is opened, according to the release.

S&D Coffee & Tea has also launched a version of ready-to-serve cold-brew coffee. It is also available in a bag option.