From the country that brought you flat whites and avo-lattes (that’s lattes served in a hollowed-out avocado half, folks, try and keep up!) comes 2019’s big coffee trend prediction. Sales of non-dairy milk such as almond and soy have been steadily climbing, both among lactose-intolerant customers and those who think that non-dairy whiteners are a healthier alternative. The new kid on the block (or drop in the coffee), though, is oat milk. Baristas in Australia are confidently predicting that 2019 will see changes not in the coffee itself but in what customers are adding to it.
In the USA, oat milk is apparently already dominating the non-dairy market, overtaking both almond and soy. According to fans of oat milk, its popularity is due to the fact that it pairs better with coffee and froths more easily. Customers tend to stay fairly loyal to their style of coffee, with hardline espresso drinkers rarely crossing the line into lattes – but are often happy to experiment with alternatives to cows’ milk.
According to figures from payment platform Square, around a third of customers in Australia ordered latte above any other style of coffee in 2018. This figure has dropped from 2016 when lattes made up almost half of orders. Cappuccinos and flat whites have also remained popular, and the three drinks together make up around three quarters of orders.
Oat milk is one of the healthiest of the non-dairy alternatives, made by mixing pre-soaked oaks with water and a little dash of oil. The result is nautrally low in fat, and contains a small amount of carbohydrate and protein. It also may have cholesterol-lowering properties, but unless you drink an awful lot of latte then the amount you’re adding to coffee is unlikely to have an effect.
Whatever you like to add to your latte, make sure you keep your customers onside by stocking up on coffee beans and other coffee accessories. To browse our full product range, take a look at our main website at www.wholesalecoffeecompany.co.uk.