Cool Customers
As the weather warms up, keep customers cool and profits hot with these refreshing beverage trends.
Rosanne Penna, Channel Marketing Manager at 30-year Flanagan’s supplier Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee states, “Frozen beverages, such as slushies, smoothies and iced caps, are the biggest and fastest growing beverage trend.” Each has its own market and selling points, and sales for all are on the rise.
For example, slushies are the mainstay of arenas, fairgrounds and convenience stores and have flavours that appeal to the young and young-at-heart. Refreshingly cool, these crushed ice and syrup offerings come in appealing, cool-down flavours and pack a long-lasting punch that has customer appeal.
Smoothies are fruit-based drinks that appeal to the health-conscious and can be featured on the menu in many different ways. They can be sold as breakfast replacements, in combination with a muffin or bar for a quick breakfast, or as an alternative to fruit juice. According to the 2006 Gallup Study of Consumer Attitudes and Behavior Concerning Breakfast, consumers under age 50 tend to visit quick serve restaurants for breakfast. During their visits, they seek portable items, single serve portions and energy boosting products. Portable, single servings, and energy-boosting - smoothies fit all three categories!
NDP/Crest Canada says that smoothies are consumed as an afternoon snack (37% of the time), in the morning (23%) and in the evening (21%). Smoothies can be dispensed from equipment that can be placed in restaurants, coffee shops and convenience stores - such as Vitamix blenders, available through Flanagan Foodservice - making production that much easier! Mother Parkers features two flavours, orange cream and strawberry banana, and offers a profit margin of 40 to 45% in addition to the convenience of the dispenser system.
Another option is to use the fresh fruit that might already be a staple of your restaurant to make fresh smoothies. V-Fusion smoothies offer a higher dollar than plain juice, and the extra serving of vegetables adds to the perception of smoothies as a healthy drink. Sherry McGlynn, Business Development Manager, National Accounts, at the Campbell Company of Canada says that even after including ingredients, container costs and markup, profits can range from 60 to 65% with V-Fusion smoothies.
McGlynn explains that, in a company survey, 64% of consumers said that they want to make healthier choices, but when asked how they choose a product, 45% said that taste was their top decider. Smoothies offer a great-tasting product that has the perception of being good for you, too.
Another growing cold beverage trend, says Penna, is iced cappucinos and iced coffees. These products have great appeal as a refreshing treat and can be offered as affordable alternatives to regular coffee in small coffee shops, restaurants, cafés, and even convenience stores and gas stations. Dispensers, such as those from Mother Parkers, create French Vanilla and Mocha iced coffee treats at prices that appeal to customers and with profits that appeal to operators.
Iced beverages have great customer appeal. They stand apart from regular soda, juice and coffee options as a special treat. With the price point competitive, the convenience dependable, and the flavour tested and satisfying, they become an exciting option you may want to offer to your customers.
