Morning doesn’t smell the same, look the same or feel the same without a pot of coffee brewing in the kitchen. Whether it’s the caffeine, the health benefits or just a hot beverage to sip on during the cold winter mornings, coffee and tea are imbedded in our culture.
To-go coffee is available on every corner in every city. It’s a wonder Mr. Coffee is still in business, as consumers seem to get their coffee on-the-run rather than percolate or press a pot at home. But that trend may be slowing as the recession, although lifting, takes a toll on consumers’ pocketbooks.
“Customers are brewing at home more often, so the market for new and unique hot beverages with interesting flavors is expanding,” said Caroline MacDougall, owner and CEO of Teeccino. “People are looking for health benefits from what they drink as well as what they eat, and they are interested in learning more about what makes herbal beverages healthy for them.”
How much do you really know about coffee? Did you know despite coffee’s reputation for being acidic and bitter, it’s actually good for you? It has been shown to lower risk of diabetes,1 prostate cancer,2 and liver cancer3 and may have some benefits on lung function in nonsmokers.4
There are so many coffees to choose from, it can be difficult for consumers to decide—coffee flavors, dark or light roast—the choices are endless. And similar to the environmental trend, and foods and beverages going green, coffee is going green, too, offering organically grown beans. The recent surge of popularity in the fortified-beverage industry has trickled into coffee as well, pioneering a new coffee approach—fortified coffee, i.e., coffee enriched with vitamins, minerals or any kind of health-boosting ingredients. Nestle recently incorporated collagen into NesCafé to offer an anti-aging spin on its morning beverage. Another hybrid coffee beverage is CLICK Espresso Protein Drink®. It’s a double-shot of espresso with protein, vitamins and minerals. “CLICK offers the health benefits of a protein drink (protein, vitamins and minerals), with the indulgence and energy lift of a gourmet coffee drink,” said Greg Smith, founder of CLICKco LLC. “We use caseinate protein, which is slower burning, keeping the body feeling full, and 23 essential vitamins and minerals.”
Teeccino offers a caffeine-free herbal coffee with inulin, a prebiotic from roasted chicory root, and potassium. “Teeccino is naturally caffeine-free, so it hasn’t been processed or extracted like decaf coffee,” MacDougall said. “It is non-acidic, making it perfect for people who can’t tolerate the acidity of coffee and decaf.” The beverage also includes proanthocyanidins and flavonoids, both antioxidants. During the brewing process, the gluten from the roasted barley doesn’t extract, so the beverage is also gluten free.
Editor's Note: Referenes listed on next page.