How can cafés leverage the enhanced focus on health & wellbeing?
“73 % of consumers plan to eat and drink more healthily as a result of Coronavirus.”
Healthy food and drink choices are high on people's agenda.
That's according to global research by FMCG Gurus. The study, carried out across 18 counties, identified that the top three approaches to doing this, were increased fruit intake (58 percent), reduced sugar intake (45 percent) and increased protein intake (37 percent).
Supporting mental wellbeing through nutritional choices is almost as important.
In addition to making choices that reduce vulnerability to disease and illness, the study also found that 55% of consumers are seeking out foods that improve their mood and mental-wellbeing.
What does this mean for your drinks menu?
As covered in the previous articles, simplification of your drinks menu is a key step in getting back to business safely and efficiently. This in itself may help you focus on healthier menu choices, as the more complex and calorific concoctions fall by the wayside.
How to make healthier choices more interesting
There are so many delicious and enticing healthier options out there, you won't be stuck for choice. Think chilled milk foam instead of cream, iced teas instead of sodas, superfood latte powders instead of drinking chocolate - and kombucha instead of fizzy colas.
For more healthy drinks inspiration visit our new website.
Trend Review
KOMBUCHA
Kombucha, a fermented and sweetened green tea with a fantastic little culture called scoby, has an unmistakable sweet 'n' sour flavour and natural fizz. It's firmly established on many a café menu but not everyone has fully bought in. If this delightful probiotic fermentation is not yet on your take-away menu, here's three reasons why it should be...
01 Making healthy choices is at the forefront of everyone's minds. Consumers are increasingly ditching processed fizzy drinks with sweeteners or heavy doses of sugar and are looking for new and exciting flavours to replace them. Kombucha has all the sparkling thrill of a can of Coke, with far less of the guilt. Admittedly the taste will divide opinion, but those that get on board, REALLY get on board! Kombucha lovers are a devoted bunch!
02. Gut health in particular is big news.
We do love to talk about our guts these days. And rightly so. Probiotic bacteria, such as those found in Kombucha, can help to balance gut microbiome and improve digestion. Some studies have also indicated that probiotics may also improve mental health and help in the fight against depression and anxiety.
But (cue disclaimer) there has been no extensive research to validate all the health claims and there may be side effects from over-consumption or in certain individuals.
03. Choice. And plenty of it!
Never has there been so much choice when it comes to Kombucha. Make your own? Retail Ready? Bottle or can? Flavoured or straight? And an ever-increasing number of quirky brands to get onboard with.
Of course after months of research, we established our own stand-out favourite - Kombucha Kat (You couldn't prize it out of the hands of our Head of Marketing). It's delicious, low in calories, suitable for ambient storage, reasonably priced and gorgeously packaged in the perfect-sized stubby can. But don't let that stop you experimenting!
Kombucha Recipe
Fancy making your own? It's really pretty simple:
Ingredients
- Black or green tea (bags or loose)
- Cold filtered water
- Sugar
- Scoby (buy it online, or get it from an existing batch of kombucha)
Method
- Steep the tea and sugar in boiled water and leave to cool
- Add the scoby
- Cover and leave to ferment for around 1 week
- Transfer to an airtight container, adding a little more sugar
- Leave for a few more days, depending how much fizzier you want it to become
- If you wish to flavour your kombucha with spices or fruit you should do so towards the end of the process. Ginger or blueberry are particular favourites here
- Enjoy!
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