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The Weekly Sip is Food Dive’s column focused on breaking news in the fast-changing and growing beverage sector. From first product lines to big investments and controversial topics, this column aims to quench your thirst for developments in the category.
Illy Launches Best-Selling Frozen Coffee in U.S. Cafes
Italian coffee giant Illy is bringing one of Europe's most popular brands to the UK.
The company will debut its “Crema” frozen blended Italian coffee in five U.S. cafes before a wider rollout later this year. The drink combines Illy’s espresso with sweet soft serve ice cream.
Coffee is available at One World Trade Center in Manhattan, New York; Merchant Square in Williamsburg, Virginia; Atlantic Station in Atlanta; Tampa International Airport in Tampa, Florida; and The Palazzo in Las Vegas, Nevada. Each café is equipped with an SP1 Machine Grantorini, a cold coffee creamer dispenser, which helps create the drink’s signature texture.
“illy Crema has been a huge success in Europe, and we have had many requests to bring it to the United States. We anticipate that this unique product and offering will be a key differentiator for illy in the U.S. market,” Jack Edwards, president of illy North America, said in a statement.
Once considered niche items or summer trends, iced and blended coffee products are popular year-round among teens and young adults. According to Starbucks’ 2023 earnings report, 75% of the company’s beverages are cold.
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Courtesy of Torani
Torani brings trendy Southern flavor to your drinks.
Torani, a syrup and flavoring manufacturer, is known for producing over 150 different flavors for a variety of beverages, from coffee to soda.
The nearly 100-year-old company has launched its newest flavor, Salted Honey Butter Syrup, designed to be enjoyed with hot or cold fall beverages.
The company’s market research found that honey beat out maple to become the top five fall beverage flavor, according to a press release. Torani recommends adding the flavor to cold brew, hot chocolate, iced coffee, lattes, mochas and milkshakes.
“Salted Honey Butter is one of the most complex flavors we’ve ever created at Torani. With notes of sweet butter, clover honey and a hint of chamomile, it gives the drink a distinct craving,” Andrea Ramirez, Torani’s consumer market insights manager, said in a statement. “During the testing phase, our team enjoyed adding the flavor to cold brew, mixing it with iced coffee and topping it with Salted Honey Butter whipped cream or cold foam.”
Traditionally found as a flavoring in the American South, honey butter has also gained popularity in Korea in recent years after appearing in chips from snack food brands. Haitai.
Torani noted the growing presence of honey butter as a flavoring in food and beverage items. Tillamook Cream cheese and Lay's potato chips. Last year, Blue Diamond introduced flavored almonds.
Torani also cited a Datassential survey that found Korean flavors are popular among Gen Z consumers, with 43 percent of the generation saying they like Korean flavors.
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Provided by Cheeky Cocktails
Brooklyn Cocktail Mixer Honey & Almond Flavor
Aiming to bring bar-worthy flavours to your home-made drinks, Cheeky Cocktails has captured the modern taste buds with its two newest flavour mixers.
The Brooklyn-based brand has expanded its portfolio of mixer flavors with two new cocktail syrups. Designed to be added to a Mai Tai, Marcona Almond Orgeat combines the nutty, sweet flavor of almonds with additional notes of sea salt and rosewater.
Habanero Hot Honey Syrup – Contains Habanero and jAlapeno pepper — Capitalizes on the growth of “swicy” food and beverage items that combine sweet and spicy flavors, such as Mike’s Hot Honey. The syrup features a spicy flavor with a hint of floral notes and is designed for margaritas, according to the brand.
“Marcona Almond Orgeat is an elegant twist on a classic ingredient, perfect for adding depth to a variety of drinks and dishes,” Cheeky’s founder April Wachtel said in a statement. “Meanwhile, Hot Honey Syrup offers a thrilling combination of spicy and sweet, making it a standout ingredient for adventurous chefs and mixologists alike.”
Wachtel, a mixologist and beverage industry veteran, founded Cheeky Cocktails to create bar-quality mixers. The brand sells a variety of products, including lemon and lime juice, espresso, honey ginger, and agave syrup. Cheeky Cocktails is available online and at select retailers.
The cocktail mixer scene is growing in prominence, with big brands like Coca-Cola’s Topo Chico and locals like Manhattan bartender-founded Badger Bevs. Earlier this summer, Q Mixers capitalized on the “swicy” trend with its Spicy Mango Margarita mix.
