Blended coffee beverages have exploded on the national coffee market. From simple iced coffee to fancy Frappuccinos, coffee lovers are enjoying their favorite drink mixed with an exotic blend of creams, liquors and special flavorings. You can find these beverages at coffee shops, restaurants and even convenience stores. Some retailers prepare the drinks to order and others sell ready to drink versions in their beverage coolers.

As alternatives in the beverage market, blended coffees allow you to offer more variety and greater selection to your menu. You can buy the beverages directly from the most well-known manufacturers who sell the drinks in their own coffee shops. Alternatively, you can create your own recipes for blended coffee beverages by purchasing just a few extra ingredients. Consider all the options as you consider whether to offer these popular beverages in your restaurant or business:

1. Buy commercial mixes from a blended coffee beverages provider.

2. Concoct unique recipes for blended coffee beverages.

3. Sell low calorie versions of blended coffee beverages.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find blended coffee beverages from nationally recognized manufacturers

Play it safe by offering best-selling blended coffee brands like Starbucks to boost beverage sales.

I recommend: California-based Lollicup USA started with one store in 2000 and has branched out to 11 states. Its extensive product line includes blended coffee beverages with caramel, chocolate, hazelnut flavorings, some available in decaffeinated varieties. Starbucks gets credit for popularizing blended coffee beverages in the American market. Its name is synonymous with its signature single-origin coffees and blended coffees from all over the world. Sell the Starbucks brand in your food service establishment by contacting a regional sales representative.

Create your own blended coffee beverages recipes to stand out from the competition

Use kitchen-tested recipes as your starting point. Change the recipes by substituting flavors and unique dairy products.

I recommend: AllRecipes.com has an extensive database of searchable recipes sorts coffee drink recipes according to ingredients used, whether the beverage is hot or cold and even those with the highest ratings. Get free blended coffee recipes on the website for Kitchen, Crafts & More. Sign up for the site’s e-newsletter or browse its extensive recipe of hot and cold coffee beverages.

Attract the health-conscious crowd by selling low calorie blended coffee beverages

Standard blended coffee beverages recipes can contain more calories than a single serving of ice cream. Give your patrons the option of enjoying one of these popular beverages without having to derail their diet.

I recommend: Southern Living Magazine offers you alternate low-calorie versions of cappuccinos and frothy blended coffee beverages. Search the database of drink recipes on Cooking Cache for low fat and low calorie versions of the most popular blended coffee drinks.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Instead of adding a laundry list of blended coffee beverages to your standard menu, save some on the side to offer as specials of the day.
• •  Ask a supplier for blended coffee beverages information from leading manufacturers or for a blended coffee beverages list showing the highest selling brands.
• •  Create your own blended coffee beverages directory of manufacturers and suppliers in case you need to change brands.