Cold coffee’s popularity—like cold brew and frozen coffee—has proven to move past trendiness into menu permanence and necessity. Forty-five percent of coffee drinkers aged 18–24 reported having a cold coffee in the past day, according to a July 2024 survey by the National Coffee Association. Interestingly for younger consumers, cold coffee and customization go hand in hand, meaning operators need to be aware of flavor trends dominating the market while offering premium cold coffee across menus.
“The big trend this year is flavored coffees, with every flavor you can possibly think of,” says Laurie Winward, vice president of innovation and research and development at Sunny Sky Products. “It’s a renaissance for coffee. We haven’t seen this kind of explosion of coffee flavors in years, and consumers are more willing than ever to embrace it.”
“As customization increases, it can slow down service times significantly. Some drinks now take up to 10 minutes to make, which isn’t sustainable,” Winward says. “Speed of service has to remain a key focus.” Consumers want it all, putting operators in a tough position when trying to remain profitable in today’s hyper-competitive marketplace.
Speed of service is integral to customer satisfaction with seconds counting in this environment. Wait times can suffer when customization options are not put in place thoughtfully. Manufacturers, like Sunny Sky Products, have curated programs like UPOURIA to create a full range of customization and speed-of-service solutions that can decrease wait times while maintaining product consistency across all stores.
The power of LTOs and seasonal drinks was proven essential when the pumpkin spice latte (or PSL) was first rolled out in the fall of 2003. The coffee landscape has continued to develop since then, but the pumpkin spice trend has remained dominant and continues to push operators everywhere to innovate with flavors, inclusions, and bases.
“Everyone is trying to dethrone the pumpkin spice latte,” Winward says. “Brands are experimenting with cookie butter, sugar plums, and apple crisp flavors to find the next big seasonal hit. We’ll continue to see these efforts to introduce new seasonal flavors that compete with the pumpkin spice phenomenon.”
For an operator to do this, partnering with a manufacturer who can scale a flavor and test it appropriately is essential. Sunny Sky Products offers exactly that, partnering with operators nationwide to curate flavors their customers will love.
Often operators know their consumers best, so operators must have a manufacturer that can customize and curate flavors to their specifications and local trends.
“Clients tell us what flavors they want to launch, and we produce ready-to-drink formats or use UPOURIA syrups to create variety,” says Isabel Atherton, vice president of marketing at Sunny Sky Products. “One cold brew base can be transformed into multiple flavors, like pumpkin, maple, hazelnut, Irish cream, or cinnamon, giving operators flexibility without adding complexity.”
“Sunny Sky Products does a lot of bag-in-box, aseptically processed dairy and non-dairy products, including iced coffees, cold brews, and black cold brew, which is shelf-stable and doesn’t require refrigeration,” says Dennis Gordon, COO at Sunny Sky Products. Aseptic and shelf-stable cold brew solutions offer significant benefits for operators looking to streamline their beverage programs.
These products free up valuable cooler space, allowing for better inventory management and reduced operational complexity. Additionally, aseptic processing ensures a longer shelf life while maintaining consistent flavor and quality, eliminating variations that can occur with traditional brewing methods. By reducing labor costs and preparation time, shelf-stable cold brew solutions provide an efficient and cost-effective way for operators to meet growing consumer demand for cold coffee without sacrificing quality or convenience.
One recent report from the National Coffee Association revealed cold brew popularity has increased by 300 percent since 2016. Now the majority of young consumers have shifted to drinking cold coffee over hot, and many prefer it with a variety of interesting flavors and creamers. However, cold brew can take 24-36 hours to prepare correctly which is not an efficient process and can increase both labor expenses and inconsistencies when prepared by different employees.
“We follow a razorblade model—we lend dispensers to operators and provide the products that fit them,” Gordon says. “Our soon-to-be-launched 32-ounce shelf-stable cold brew concentrate is a great example. It’s a 7-to-1 concentrate, allowing operators to instantly mix it with water to create two gallons of high-quality cold brew at a low cost.”
Today, operators must balance customization, speed of service, and efficiency to stay ahead. Cold coffee is no longer just a trend—it’s a menu essential, and consumers expect variety, premium flavors, and convenience. By leveraging solutions like UPOURIA syrups and shelf-stable cold brew concentrates, franchises can streamline operations while delivering the innovative beverages customers crave. With the right partner, operators can future-proof their coffee programs, ensuring they remain competitive in 2025 and beyond.
Discover the best coffee solutions for your business here.
By Ya’el McLoud
