Tag: uk coffee trends

Coffee trends: the ‘doughnut cup’

Posted on by Sara Walker

Coffee in an avocado. Coffee in a chocolate ice cream cone. Deconstructed coffee. It started out strangely, and honestly it’s just got worse – a bakery in Australia is doing odd and terrible things to a simple and inoffensive cup of coffee by serving it in a ‘doughnut’ cup.

Now, we’re not against a doughnut. We’re not against coffee and a doughnut together, provided that one’s served on a plate and the other in a cup. We do think, though, that serving the coffee inside the doughnut isn’t an improvement – surely you’ll just get a sloppy drink and a messy doughnut?

The Kenilworth Bakery in Australia obviously doesn’t agree – it’s developed a special doughnut which has been coated with cinnamon then hollowed out and lined with Nutella to make it more resistant to liquid. It’s then filled with an espresso shot topped with foamed milk.
The bakery describes the new creation as ‘amazing’, and says they’re proving popular with customers. They took about a week to perfect, and there’s also a version available filled with hot chocolate instead of coffee.

It’s served on a wooden platter, and the customer has to drink the coffee quickly before tacking the doughnut – a task that looks surprisingly difficult, as the doughnut is quite..er…doughy. Don’t expect to look elegant eating one of these!

They do love a gimmick in Australia, and while we applaud this bakery’s innovative spirit we don’t think this is going to catch on. You have to drink the coffee quickly before it soaks too much into the doughnut, and we think you’d have an easier time keeping both items separate!

Here at the Wholesale Coffee Company, we’ve got everything you need for your commercial coffee business, restaurant or café including a wide range of coffee beans and coffee accessories. Sorry, we don’t have any doughnuts!

Coffee shops buck high street trend

Posted on by Sara Walker
Image: Pixabay

The character of our high streets is changing. As online shopping soars in popularity and customers prefer to browse from the comfort of their arm chairs, shops are also being hit with rising costs. The number of new shops opening in Britain is currently at its lowest for seven years, and a study commissioned by Price Waterhouse Coopers has revealed that almost 6,000 shops closed last year. Famously among recent casualties are big chains such as BHS, Toys R Us and Maplin. Among the sectors hardest hit are clothes shops, banks and travel agents, with more and more customers preferring to shop, bank and book holidays online.

It’s certainly not all doom and gloom though, and the good news is that there are several retail genres bucking the trend – including coffee shops. It seems that spending all that time hunched over our computers buying shoes isn’t replacing our need to socialise – so after our online shopping, we’re still strolling along to our local cafe for some actual human contact. Other industries on the ride include bookshops, tearooms, craft beer pubs, ice cream parlours and shops selling beauty products and services such as nail bars.

It seems that stores offering experiences rather than just products are being more popular rather than less. Ordering a six pack of craft beer online simply doesn’t compare with the experience of drinking it in a pub with your mates – and it’s the same with coffee shops. Despite pressures on the British retail industry, 25 new coffee shops opened in the UK last year. Perhaps the ideal new business idea is a coffee shop selling books, ice cream, beer and face cream? It can only be a matter of time.

For all your commercial coffee needs for your cafe, catering or retail business, take a look at our main website at www.wholesalecoffeecompany.co.uk. You’ll find everything you need to keep stocked up in style, including beans, accessories, flavoured syrups and more.