Strong Foundation
Building better blended beverages
By Anna Gutierrez
Photos by Nicole Maas

Every manufacturer is bound to claim that its product is the best one on the market. It is up to you to make an educated decision on which offerings are right for your specialty coffee business.

There are several variables to consider when evaluating competing products. In a perfect world, the ingredients you use to build a strong drink menu would be cost-effective and easy to use, provide a huge profit margin, and taste far better than rival brands. But do these superior products really exist?

Many specialty coffee retailers feel they must compromise standards on flavor or price. The direct cost isn't necessarily the most important factor—it is vitally important to look at the big picture. If you are carrying a product that has developed an amazing reputation with your customers and your drink sales increase because of it, then that extra cost for the superior product will more than put that money back into your pocket.

HOW SWEET IT IS—THE WORLD OF CHOCOLATE

One of the most competitive and widely used products in the specialty coffee industry is chocolate. Whether in the form of a sauce or powder, each has distinct selling points, but these attributes can be tossed by the wayside if the flavor is not up to par. With nearly 50 percent of the specialty drinks prepared and sold having a chocolate base, it's incredibly important to have a chocolate that tastes great.

Ghirardelli Chocolate Co., which has been around since 1852, is the longest continually operating chocolate company in the United States. This institution has remained a leading name as a true chocolate company, not a flavored sauce company. Owned by Switzerland-based Lindt International, Ghirardelli focuses on three divisions: confections, ingredients (chips and cocoa powder) and foodservice (sauces, cocoa powders and specialty coffee industry-specific offerings).

Ginger Gerhart, Northwest regional sales manager at food brokerage company Gourmet Source, says, "Our most popular specialty coffee item is the Ghirardelli White Chocolate Cocoa Powder. It has a very unique flavor profile that is actually requested by customers nationally. Another top-selling product is Black Label Chocolate Sauce, which has a rich cocoa flavor profile and works in coffee applications as well as with ice cream and in desserts in leading restaurants."

A familiar name to retailers and consumers is Hershey's, the largest North American manufacturer of quality chocolate and confectionery products. The Pennsylvania-based company ranks fairly high on the scale when it comes to popularity with espresso-based drinks. Although the company originally got its start only producing caramel, it expanded its product line in 1894 by covering the caramels with chocolate. Then in 1926, the concept of Hershey's syrup was introduced.

Mont Blanc Gourmet is newer to the industry. Michael and Irene Szyliowicz started the company in 1985 and have developed a reputable name with a strong focus on quality. Mont Blanc coined the phrase, "Specialty chocolate for the specialty coffee experts." Its most popular product in the U.S. market is Sweet Dark Chocolate, with Semi-Sweet Chocolate especially popular for destination coffee shops.

The Szyliowiczs are committed to the philosophy of not sacrificing quality for cost. "There are always cheaper ways to get caffeine," Irene says. "Similarly, there have always been, and always will be, cheaper chocolates. We've learned how to maximize flavor using the most cost-effective ingredients. Our customers tell us that we produce the best value in this niche."

Sugar-free chocolate syrups, sauces and powders have also become hot items. With more consumers watching their health—and their waistlines—everyone wants in on the sugar-free market. The majority of sugar-free products are in a sauce form, sweetened with the sugar-substitute Maltinol. Gosh That's Good carries a variety of products, including regular and sugar-free chocolate, as well as a neutral powder base for blended drinks. Its sugar-free line is low in carbohydrates and sweetened with Splenda, and flavors include White Velvet and Rich Classic Chocolate.

Gosh That's Good owner Darin Teal also owns Java Crew, a seven-location chain based in Oregon. While working in the coffee business, Teal couldn't find a chocolate that balanced well with coffee and would make delicious cocoa. He and his staff leaned on their 15 years of experience working the front counter, finding what their customers wanted before developing a solution.

Gosh That's Good's sugar-free product is concentrated and shelf-stable in an effort to make it the most cost-effective offering on the market, Teal says. "This increases the yield of servings per pound, sometimes by as much as three times, compared to our competition. Our products are also designed to be used with any shop's existing products, not as a replacement. This reduces inventory costs and improves consistency."

BLEND IT UP—COFFEE AND TEA SMOOTHIES

Because coffee is typically prepared as a hot beverage, it may be difficult for some customers to understand how amazing iced and blended drinks can be with the addition of a shot of espresso.

The solution? Samples! As a result of sampling, Donna Sorrell, owner of Bushiban Coffee based in Garner, N.C., has seen consistent sales of blended drinks throughout the year, not just in the warmer months. Her staff also gently recommends alternatives to customers. "We have found that when we ask customers if they would like their drink blended or iced when they order, more and more people are trying them blended. It just takes one time, and they are hooked."

Among the most popular brands for blended beverages is Big Train. With a wide variety of flavors and strong marketing, the company's customers feel it's extremely easy to control the consistency of their drinks. Big Train also includes coffee in its powder-based coffee drink mixes, which can cut down on costs. Some savvy retailers understand that the coffee taste is too subtle for their customers, so they will up-sell additional shots of espresso.

Caffe D'Amore has established a strong national presence, known for its product line's smooth, creamy texture and taste. Alan Butts, owner of Coffee Crossing in New Albany, Ind., believes that Caffe D'Amore is the best powder base for blended beverages. "Not only do we use the latte powder for our espresso-based blended drinks, we also feature two blended tea drinks on our menu. One combines Oregon Chai with Caffe D'Amore's vanilla base powder and a dash of cinnamon powder, all blended with milk and ice. We also make a green tea smoothie by blending Caffe D'Amore's green tea powder, milk and ice."

GETTING FRUITY—AND HEALTHY

The preparation possibilities for smoothies are endless, including fresh fruit, powder or liquid bases, and syrups. The key is to find a product you feel confident preparing, and one that your customers will appreciate. There are a wide array of fruit smoothie bases available, and it is important to keep an eye on their ingredients. Although people love the taste of a fruit smoothie, they are expecting health benefits and they assume the nutritional values are on the healthy side.

Dr. Smoothie offers products that fall into the "health conscious" category with a line of smoothie concentrates, including a premier line of 100-percent crushed fruit smoothie concentrates. "Dr. Smoothie is well known for our healthy approach to specialty beverages, keeping the consumers' good health in mind," says Dr. Smoothie's Egan Hernandez. "Our products are all-natural with no artificial colors or preservatives, are fortified with essential vitamins and minerals, and also have a special focus on antioxidants."

It's safe to say that everyone feels they have a superior product compared to their competition, and each has reasons why they are a cost-effective option. Java Frost prides itself on its powder base for blended drinks, as well as customer care. "In a time when customer service is neglected, our goal is to give our customer the respect and service we would like to receive, no matter how large or small their business," says Java Frost's Lynn Merriam.

For some coffeehouses, brand recognition and a product's popularity are important. For others, a locally produced brand may be the right fit. And some chains and independents alike opt to keep their product brands a secret, simply focusing on producing drinks the best way they know how—with products they truly believe in. Whether you're preparing a hot, iced or blended drink, it's most important that you've done your research, tried a variety of products and determined what works best for you. .

 

Comments on this article may be sent to comments@freshcup.com.