Dried coffee cherries used to be a by-product of the coffee industry but they are now sought-after by the beverage industry, as seen in products like Riff Cold Brewed's new sparkling, ready-to-drink coffee fruit teas. The Sparkling Superfruit Teas are made with dried cascara—also known as the coffee cherry or coffee fruit. To reference the fact that cascara is referred to as "coffee’s lesser-known counterpart," the first of the brand's Sparkling Superfruit Teas is being launched in a flavor called 'Alter Ego.'
Alter Eco is a 12-ounce canned drink with just over 100 milligrams of caffeine and two grams of sugar per can. Following the launch of Alter Ego in the spring, Riff Cold Brewed plans to introduce other flavors of its coffee fruit teas and is currently experimenting with unique flavors like celery, rhubarb and black currant.
Carbonated Coffee Fruit Teas
Riff Cold Brewed Uses Cascara for Its Sparkling Superfruit Teas
Trend Themes
1. Dried Coffee Cherries - Opportunity to utilize coffee cherries as a valuable ingredient in innovative beverage products.
2. Sparkling Superfruit Teas - Growing demand for carbonated and ready-to-drink tea beverages infused with coffee fruit.
3. Unique Flavor Experimentation - Exploring unconventional flavors like celery, rhubarb, and black currant in coffee fruit teas.
Industry Implications
1. Beverage Industry - Opportunity for beverage manufacturers to incorporate dried coffee cherries in their product portfolios.
2. Coffee Industry - Disruptive potential for coffee producers to diversify their offerings with sparkling superfruit teas.
3. Tea Industry - Emerging market for tea companies to explore new product lines with carbonated coffee fruit teas.