# Refreshing Espresso Sodas Esspo Sips Like a Fizzy Drink and Caffeinates Like Cold Brew By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2026-02-28 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/espresso-soda References: [foodbusinessnews.net](https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/29872-co-founders-launch-espresso-soda-startup) & [drinkesspo](https://drinkesspo.com/)  As the demand for [craft coffee drinks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cafe-energy-hybrids) and [better-for-you fizzy refreshments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/functional-beverage-category) continues to climb, Esspo—an espresso soda—is launching to bridge the divide. This zesty and energizing beverage delivers the bold caffeine hit drinkers crave in a light, sparkling format that feels fresh and unexpected. As the creators of Esspo describe, this new line of [espresso sodas](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/espresso-coffee-concentrate) sips like soda, caffeinates like cold brew, and ticks all the boxes for flavor, fizz and feel-good energy. "Coffee is a ritual. Energy drinks are a utility. But little exists in between," notes co-founder Justin Stefano. Made for afternoons, social moments, creative windows and moments of reset in between, Esspo provides a refreshing, milkless, low-calorie experience with a trio of flavor-forward varieties: classic vanilla, cherry vanilla and sweet lemon. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.8/10 - Popularity: 69% | Activity: 72% | Freshness: 64% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Drinking](https://www.trendhunter.com/drinking) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Sparkling Coffee Beverages:** A growing category that combines espresso-style caffeine with carbonation creates room for ready-to-drink formats and novel cold-brew carbonation processes to redefine daytime social drinks. - **Energy-feel Fusion Drinks:** Blending ritualistic coffee experiences with energy-drink utility highlights opportunities for calibrated caffeine delivery and sensory formulations that provide sustained alertness without the traditional stimulant profile. - **Better-for-you Indulgent Sodas:** Consumers seeking low-calorie, milkless, flavor-forward sodas open pathways for natural sweetener systems, clean-label flavor concentrates, and functional add-ins that preserve soda mouthfeel while reducing calories. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Beverage Manufacturing:** Cold-chain bottling, aseptic carbonation lines, and hybrid filling technologies can disrupt production models to support perishable espresso-soda SKUs at scale. - **Foodservice & Cafes:** Cafes and quick-service operators stand to reimagine menu offerings with portable, carbonated espresso formats that shift consumption occasions toward afternoons and social moments. - **Functional Ingredients Suppliers:** Suppliers of natural caffeine extracts, flavor emulsions, and mouthfeel-modifying ingredients can enable new product formulations that balance fizz, flavor, and perceived energy without synthetic additives. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Canned Nitro-Infused Cold Coffees](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nitroinfused-cold-coffee.md) - [Canadian-Made Canned Coffees](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/second-cup-ready-to-drink-lattes.md) - [Zero-Sugar Espresso Drinks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/birdy.md) - [Canned Cocoa Coffee Cocktails](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cutwater-chocolate-espresso-martini.md) - [Daytime Bourbon Cocktails](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ready-to-drink-bourbon-cocktail.md) - [Traceable Espresso Coffee Concentrates](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/espresso-coffee-concentrates.md) - [Soju-Infused Vietnamese Coffees](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hard-vietnamese-coffee.md) - [Seasonal Fair Trade Brews](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/death-wish-coffee-1.md) - [Functional Decaf Cold Brews](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nolo.md)