In 2024, quick-service restaurants are stepping up their beverage game. Starbucks is the second largest fast-food company worldwide, in terms of brand value in 2022, with a value of 61.7 billion U.S. dollars, according to Statista. For restaurants striving to stay competitive, creating a menu with specialty drinks and flavors catering to younger generations is a smart way to increase profits.
Gen Z and Millennials are particularly drawn to beverages with a caffeine boost, such as coffee and tea. Whether at a cafe, restaurant, or drive-thru, consumers are seeking out new and innovative drink options.
Matcha is a green tea powder that can be used to create a variety of caffeinated beverages, from lattes to lemonades. Matcha is predicted to outperform 99 percent of all other food, beverages, and ingredients over the next four years, according to Datassential. “People are always looking for the next flavor and the next big thing,” says Angela Thompson, senior beverage innovation director at Monin. “I’ve noticed matcha appearing more on restaurant menus. A few years ago, I didn’t think it would be this prevalent, but now it is.”
Traditionally, matcha is a powder that can be difficult to work with. It often requires multiple steps for preparation, including whisking in one container and transferring to another, which can lead to a grainy texture and inconsistent results. This process can be messy and time consuming.
A solution that is opening doors for quick-service restaurants is Monin’s Matcha Green Tea Concentrate. Made with organic Japanese matcha powder, the liquid concentrate streamlines matcha preparation to more easily craft lattes, smoothies, lemonades, cocktails, and even baked goods.
“Since it’s already mixed and lightly sweetened, operators don’t have to worry about the messiness of powder or the risk of inconsistent mixing,” Thompson says. “It’s always going to be the same—one ounce of matcha concentrate with seven ounces of liquid. This takes out the guesswork and ensures every location serves a consistent and high-quality product, instead of having different recipes or variations depending on the individual making it.”
Monin’s Matcha Green Tea Concentrate has 40MG of caffeine per serving, making it the perfect alternative to coffee. “It still gives you a good kick with about half the amount of caffeine as coffee,” Thompson says. “Gen Z and Millennials tend to prefer tea-based drinks, and matcha has a health halo that coffee doesn’t, while adding variety to the menu.” It pairs nicely with coconut and other trending Asian flavors such as taro and yuzu.
Clean label and made with organic Japanese matcha powder, Monin’s matcha concentrate gives operators the ability to charge a higher price, and consumers are willing to pay. “It is understood that matcha is a luxury item on the menu,” Thompson says. “Highlighting it contains organic matcha is an important point, especially for younger customers like Gen Z and Millennials.”
For operators looking to serve more beverage options, offering a trendy, versatile, and caffeinated product like matcha can drive customer interest, and boost profits. “Customers are used to getting premium drinks at specialty shops, and now they can get high-quality matcha at quick-service spots as well,” Thompson says. “It’s nice to see everyone stepping up their game.”
To cater to growing consumer demands, visit monin.us/products/matcha-green-tea-concentrate
By Olivia Schuster
