Coffee trends | Paradox featured in Convenience World magazine
Paradox Head Roaster Paul Golding shares insights on roasting trends, the evolution of coffee blends and the Future of flavour in this month‘s issue of Convenience World magazine. This is an extract.
By Emily Devon
According to Head Roaster at Paradox Coffee Roasters Paul Golding the flavours and aromas created within are derived from compounds that are present in the green beans and chemically altered by heat driven reactions during the roasting process.
“The coffee variety growing environment and processing method all contribute to the menu of sugars, carbohydrates and nitrogen compounds present in green coffee which lay foundation for the coffee’s final flavour,” he said.
This means the flavour of coffee comes down to the process by which it is made.
Roasting trends
Just reading the words ‘roast trends’ is enough to send a waft of hot coffee bean scent through my nose. “The trend in coffee blends over the last year or so has been mainly in style and roast philosophy rather than preferred origins,” Mr Golding said.
It doesn’t take much to realise that a visit to the local cafe is a luxury loved by many – with so many of us becoming self-proclaimed ‘foodies’ and ‘coffee connoisseurs’ via social media.
“The demand is now from café owners and consumers pushing back to safer ground with stronger, simpler and more comforting coffee blends,” Mr Golding said.
So what are the flavours that café owners and consumers are mostly chasing?
“The most popular styles we sell present as either caramelly and rich or crisp and fruity but both need to be strong and milk focused,” Mr Golding said.
Although as mentioned, origins seem not to be a major factor compared with style and roast philosophy, Mr Golding notes that origins including Brazil, Indonesia, India and parts of Central America are in demand for the creation of rich spicy caramelly blends while Colombia and east African sources such as Kenya, Ethiopia and and Tanzania are the go-to origins for more fruity crispy styles
I wondered, when beginning to research shows this topic, if flavour preference has anything to do with age, or other demographic segments.
Mr Golding explains: “flavour preference is such a unique individual trait, it’s risky to draw broad assumptions”.
However, similarities can be drawn between consumers’ coffee preferences and the flavours they may enjoy more, he adds.
“People from a background where black coffee is the norm will usually prefer the more fruity acid driven flavours, while those [who] may have grown up with instant or milk-based espresso often prefer the rounder, more caramelly style,” Mr Golding said.
The future of flavour
Predictions are an increased demand in the niche market for new processing methods. In the blend market, there’ll be increasing demand for quality and convenience, rather than substantial change in flavour. In the convenience segment, this would affect espresso capsules, not booming in popularity, where environmentally friendly and fresher, tastier options will succeed.
Research shows clearly that environment affects perception of flavour, and there are ample examples of this in the food and beverage industry. Coffee outlets that focus on providing a better experience for their customer will consistently receive more positive feedback on flavour and greater sales through increased loyalty, especially following the large-scale re-evaluation of priorities during COVID-19.
Go to Convenience World to read the full published article.
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