Some say the festive season starts as soon as the last bonfire night embers have died out, others believe it all begins with the premiere of the John Lewis Christmas ad. But for many, it’s the first sighting of Christmas-edition coffee cups on British high streets that really screams yuletide cheer.”
Starbucks may be credited with popularising the trend with its iconic red cups, but others have been quick to follow suit. McDonald’s, which has been stepping up its coffee game in recent years, has released a limited-edition spiced cookie latte while Pret A Manger is banking on mint-flavoured hot chocolates and lattes to draw in the crowds.”
Meanwhile, Costa Coffee’s decision to drop its popular white hot chocolate has proven just how important a coffee chain’s Christmas menu has become. One heartbroken fan of the beverage took to Twitter, saying: “Costa doesn’t have a white hot chocolate this year, so Christmas is ruined already.”
But while Christmas is bound to give coffee sales a boost, a recent report from Horizons, the foodservice consultancy, suggests that we may have already witnessed peak coffee. Its biannual Ones to Watch report in October found that while there was a growth in small-scale coffee brands, the number of new coffee outlets opening was down by 1.2% compared to the previous year, suggesting that the coffee market may have reached its peak.”
Here’s hoping that as the weather outside gets more frightful, Britain’s coffee franchises see some delightful seasonal sales.”
“
