Coffee trends for 2021

The world of coffee is constantly changing, with innovative brewing appliances, ever-changing consumer preferences, and exciting new blended coffees. So, what changes can we expect from 2021? Here are a few of the emerging trends for the coming year. 

Healthy Coffee Drinks

Coffee is an all-natural drink that delivers a wide range of health benefits. However, things can take a turn for the worse when you start adding large amounts of sugar, milk, caramel, cream, and other ingredients.

These common coffee additives contain a lot of fat, cholesterol, or sugar, which can be bad for your health when consumed in large quantities. 

In 2021, ‘healthy’ coffee drinks are expected to become more common. These types of drinks are made from unadulterated organic coffee with healthy additives, including almond milk, oat milk, rice milk, turmeric, vitamin C, cocoa powder, ground cacao beans, matcha powder, or cinnamon.

Some coffee shops are even adding collagen to their coffee, a protein which can improve the health of your skin, nails, hair, and bones. Your morning cup of joe could be used to improve your looks in the future.

Coffee Subscriptions Still Growing In Popularity

The COVID pandemic led to an increase in the number of people using coffee subscription services. These services provide customers with deliveries of high-quality coffee beans or ground coffee every few weeks.

Most coffee subscription services have a unique offering of high-quality beans from different coffee growing regions around the world. This makes subscription services a great option for coffee drinkers interested in experimenting with many bean varieties.

Neighbourhood Cafes Will Be Packed

2020 was a brutal year for the hospitality industry, with thousands of cafes, bars, restaurants, and takeaway shops closing due to COVID-19 lockdowns. However, the release of effective COVID vaccines means that life is gradually returning to normal.

The return to normalcy is expected to create a dramatic increase in the number of new cafes opening their doors. Entrepreneurs are eager to meet the needs of millions of coffee drinkers who have missed the social outlet that coffee shops provide.

Convenience Coffee

Although it makes most coffee aficionados turn away in disgust, coffee pods are here to stay in 2021. Consumers love the convenience they provide and find that coffee pods produce a decent brew which they enjoy.

Several other convenient options are also going to take off in 2021, including coffee in a can. As the name suggests, coffee in a can is a pre-brewed coffee sold in a can. They are often sold in heated vending machines which makes getting a hot coffee simple.

Cold brew coffee will also remain popular in 2021 and there will be new cold brew products hitting supermarket shelves every couple of months. They are a great option for anyone looking for a low acid coffee with a rich flavour.

Single Cup Brewing Equipment

In the past few years, homebrewers have been turning away from complicated espresso machines and switching to simpler options. This has included brewing systems like Aeropress and Hario v60, which are simple to use and won’t take up valuable bench space in your kitchen. This trend will continue this year.

Snapchilled Coffee

If you enjoyed the cold brew movement, then you will love snapchilled coffee. Snapchilling is a process developed by MIT alumnus David Dussault, He developed a process to reduce the temperature of coffee from very hot to extremely cold in a couple of minutes.

Snapchilled coffee is arguably superior to cold brew as it does a better job of extracting flavour from the coffee bean, while still producing a brew that is smooth and less acidic. It’s the best of both worlds, really.

Dalgona Coffee

Dalgona coffee burst onto the scene in early 2020 via TikTok. It is a Korean whipped coffee made from instant coffee, sugar, water, and milk. Although it is simple in terms of ingredients, the beautifully fluffy whipped coffee top is really attention-grabbing and delicious.

Creative TikTok users began to make variations on dalgona coffee using chai, pumpkin spice, gelato, liqueurs, and other ingredients. Here’s a short video showing how to make the original.

Buttered Coffee

Adding butter to coffee is a growing trend amongst celebrities and athletes looking to get a little more kick out of their cup of joe. Although some people claim it magically adds more nutrients, Healthline reports that it simply adds some vitamin A and a lot of saturated fat. But why not give it a go, you might like the taste!