The Rise of Iced Coffee in the UK

Iced coffee has seemingly burst out of the recesses of the coffee shop menu and into the forefront of consumers’ hearts over the past couple of decades. Its popularity shows no signs of slowing down. In the UK alone, “the iced coffee market is currently valued at £178.9 million, up 37%.” But how did this chilled delight become so entrenched in modern coffee culture?

It is thought that chilled coffee, a precursor to modern-day iced coffee, originated in Algeria in 1840. During the Battle of Mazagran, the French military started adding water to their coffee after they ran out of milk. Due to the heat of the North African country, they consumed the beverage cold. When returning to France, many of the soldiers requested this drink in cafés, where it became known as café mazagran.

The trend then spread to other parts of Europe, with different countries adding their own twists. In Austria, it includes a shot of rum and an ice cube. Taking this one step further, in Portugal the drink includes espresso, mint, rum and a slice of lemon.

It wasn’t until 1920 that iced coffee was popularised in the United States through a marketing campaign created by the Joint Coffee Trade Publicity Committee. This significantly increased awareness, as iced coffee had largely been a European staple before this point.

Many countries now have their own varieties of iced coffee. In Italy, the affogato, a shot of espresso poured over ice cream, remains popular. In Vietnam, coffee is mixed with condensed milk and poured over ice to create a creamier, sweeter drink. The frappé was created in Greece in 1957 by Dimitris Vakondios, a Nescafé representative who mixed instant coffee, milk, cold water and ice cubes in a shaker.

With the rise of café culture over the past 20 years, helped in part by on-screen depictions in hit shows such as Friends, it is no surprise that consumers are exploring more ways to enjoy their coffee. Sales of iced coffee increased by “35.4% in 2022,” proving its continued popularity in the UK coffee market.

So, How Can You Expand Your Offering to Include Iced Coffee?

As iced coffee continues to grow in popularity, many businesses are now looking to offer iced coffee in offices, workplaces and hospitality environments.

Douwe Egberts has recently launched the Excellence Touch Hot & Cold machine, providing a simple way to offer iced coffee alongside traditional hot beverages. This commercial coffee machine features all the same elements as the Excellence Touch, including an easy to use touchscreen interface, with the added benefit of a wide range of chilled drink options.

For businesses looking to expand their workplace refreshment solutions, this type of machine allows you to meet growing demand for iced coffee in the workplace without compromising on quality or speed of service.

Please note that this machine requires an under-sink or cabinet chiller to reduce the water to the optimum temperature for chilled drinks.

Excellence Touch Hot & Cold

Click below to see how this machine compares to the other models offered by Douwe Egberts.

DE Comparison Table.pdf

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