Coffee trends come and go, with certain flavors and brewing methods quickly becoming popular. So it can feel daunting, or even overwhelming, for food and beverage distributors to keep up with what is popular in the coffee industry. But with the right resources and insights, it is possible to get ahead of the trends, appeal to customer needs, and deliver what they want – ultimately leading to more sales and long-term customer satisfaction.
In this article, we will share some tips on how to get started on coffee trends, and what distributors need to consider in order to take advantage of profitable opportunities in the coffee market. We will explore factors like research, data-driven insights, sales/marketing, partnerships, and growth strategies within the modern foodservice industry.
Research: Find Kitchen & Cafe Places in Your Target Area
The first and most important step to understanding what customers want is to do your research. This starts by understanding the local market by actively researching local coffee shops, cafes, and bakeries in your target area. This should be done both online and in-person, giving you a sense of who your customers are and what type of coffee they prefer.
Taking the example of a distributor located in the US, it is important to look for key regions and take note of the most popular coffee trends in each one. A good start would be to get an overview of the whole picture by researching what types of local coffee shops and coffee makers are most prevalent in the US, and then narrowing it down to specific metropolitan areas.
Insights: Use Data-driven Insight to Make More Informed Decisions
Once you have gathered research around your local market, it is important to use data-driven insight to make more informed decisions. This includes leveraging tools such as Brizo’s market intelligence platform, which allows distributors to gain access to in-depth menu data and restaurant tech coverage, in order to hone in on the right coffee trends that are driving demand in your local market.
Brizo’s data helps distributors to take a more scientific approach to understanding their local market, pinpointing profitable coffee trends based on consumer segment analysis, detailed analytics, and predictive intelligence. This can help distributors to make more accurate decisions on the types of coffee and coffee makers that would be the most successful, ensuring that distributors are well-positioned on the burgeoning coffee market.
Sales & Marketing: Prospect and Attract New Customers
Once you have a good understanding of the coffee trends that are driving demand in your local market, it is time to start prospecting for potential customers. Taking into account the various factors from your research, data-driven insights, and predictive intelligence, you should be well-prepared to make a sound judgment on the right coffee trends to reach out to new customers.
At this stage, it is important to also leverage modern marketing tactics to enhance your reach and to start attracting potential customers. This includes developing targeted content, optimizing your website for SEO, and making use of social media channels such as Twitter and Instagram, amongst other digital marketing tools.
Growth Strategies: Establish Reliable Partnerships and Expand your Brand
To further capitalize on the emerging coffee trends in the US, it is also important to explore growth strategies that involve forming strategic partnerships with restaurants, cafes, and other establishments. Not only can these relationships lead to more sales, but they can also help build long-lasting trust in the brand, increasing customer loyalty and ultimately providing more steady business in the long run.
Further, it is useful to look into innovation and creative strategies to make your coffee brand stand out from the competition. This can range from trying new brewing methods like cold drip or nitro coffee, to creating unique or limited-edition roasts or blends that cannot be found anywhere else. Involving customers in these innovative processes will also potentially increase customer engagement, and further up the reputation of your brand.
