Whenever I go out to eat, I check beverages menu before the food menu in restaurant or cafe. I feel the food is incomplete without a good drink. Sometimes, I just buy the drink and leave the place. So a good beverages menu always excites me. People choose beverages on the basis of their mood and time. If it is early morning then people like to have tea, coffee or milk. People tend to have juice with breakfast. In the afternoon, people prefer buttermilk or lassi with food. In the evening, people try varied types of drinks. People drink cold coffee, cappuccino, espresso, latte, hot chocolate, ice tea, mocktails, cocktails etc. depending on their mood and preference. During the night time, the mocktails and cocktails go on depending on the preference. In addition to that, people prefer milkshake as well during the night time.
Considering the preferences and the choice of people and the beverages menu of the restaurants and cafe, I have observed few trends in different beverages. And on the basis of those observations, I can forecast some trends in different kinds of beverages.
Tea
Tea is a need in this part of the world. Beverages menu is incomplete without the tea. Tea, masala tea and ginger tea are the most the common beverages found in the menu of a restaurant or a cafe. There are tonnes of tea stalls in this country which earn big or just enough to live by selling the above-mentioned forms of tea.
Trend
In last few years, a lot of experiments have been done with the flavours of tea. And this trend of experiments will continue. Tea is used as a health drink as well. A lot of people drink green tea at least once a day. So different flavours excite that green tea drinking population. People will welcome different flavours of ice tea as well. Ice tea is a cold and refreshing form of tea in which people love to try different flavours. Experiments and flavours will be tried on the newer forms of tea, traditional chai is always going to be in the trend as it is.
Coffee
Earlier, coffee was considered as a substitute for tea but nowadays, people enjoy both. Filter coffee, espresso, cappuccino and latte are some common forms of coffee which people love to have in their day to day life. Apart from those forms, cold coffee is something which people crave for.
Trend
Indian chains like cafe coffee day have created the coffee culture in this country. Regional and local artisanal flavours are promoted through them. This trend will go on. Different flavours will be tried and tested along with some art on the top of a cappuccino. Not only cappuccino, flavours will also be tried in latte and cold coffee with some international names. Like green tea, health-conscious people will go for green coffee. Green coffee is a new concept but it will be trending in future.
Other non-alcoholic beverages
Apart from tea and coffee, there are a lot of non-alcoholic drinks. Fruit juices, milkshakes, hot chocolate, lassi, buttermilk energy drinks, mocktails and health drinks. It is a huge market and people love to try different flavours and combinations.
Trend
Every year in summer restaurants and cafes come up with new beverages menu. Chains like McDonald’s and cafe coffee day launch different flavours and combinations with trendy names. Along with shakes and juices, there is a new trend of healthy infused drinks. Restaurants and cafes are taking the keen interest in that and coming up with innovative ideas in healthy infused drinks. There is a rise in chains selling milkshakes. A lot of new Indian brands are coming up with some innovative and lip-smacking non-alcoholic beverages. It will continue as there is a huge demand for non-alcoholic beverages in this country.
These were the (non-alcoholic) beverages trends according to me. Check out the Godrej Food Trends 2018 using the #GFTR2018 on social media or download the Godrej Food Trends Report 2018 to get the complete information on food trends.
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