Nitro-Coffee popularity grows steadily over the years
March 02 – 2022
Coffee Geography Magazine
The global nitrogenized coffee market size is valued at USD 9.8 million. Health benefits including less calorie and sugar content associated with these products are expected to remain a key factor driving the market across the globe. Furthermore, less bitter, smoother, and creamier taste of nitrogenized coffee products is expected to attract consumers, especially young and millennial population, across the world. Nitro cold brew is a type of coffee served chilled. It is a variation of cold brewed coffee that uses the addition of nitrogen gas to create a smooth texture. Though recently introduced, the beverage has grown in popularity.
The infused nitrogen gives the thicker texture as it does not dissolve easily in water. It also reveals the natural sweetness of the product and reduces the sugar requirement. The product comes under top trending Google searches in countries including Spain and Mexico. This represents the popularity of the product among consumers. In addition, demand for the product has witnessed a remarkable growth in summer as it fits well as a summer drink.
In March 2018, Nestlé launched Nescafé Azera Nitro, a new nitrogen infused coffee product line in U.K. and Ireland. These cans are available in two different flavors including Nescafé Azera Nitro Latte and Nescafé Azera Nitro Americano. Nitro cold brew is typically served chilled, without ice as to not damage the foamy top. Nitro cold brew was first offered at third wave coffee shops in the early 2010s, but the exact origin is disputed. The process is said by Men's Journal to have originated in 2013 at craft coffee houses Cuvee Coffee in Austin, Texas and Stumptown in Portland, Oregon. However, Esquire gives credit to the draft coffee at The Queens Kickshaw in New York in 2011 as a predecessor. Cuvee Coffee first offered nitro cold brew, on tap, at the Slow Food Quiz Bowl in Austin, Texas, August 14, 2011. The Ball Corporation issued a press release citing Cuvee as the first company to can cold brew in their widget cans and BevNet awarded Cuvee the Best Packaging Innovation, calling them “the first cold brew brand to market a nitrogenized offering” Stumptown and Cuvee began offering canned beverages with a nitrogen disc, a hollow piece of plastic compressed with nitrogen in order to pressurize the can, by 2015. Starbucks introduced the beverage at 500 stores in the summer of 2016, preceded in the Los Angeles market by The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. By 2020, Starbucks offered the beverage at more than half of its locations across the United States, making it a staple menu item. Nitro cold brew is available from wholesalers in some markets in kegs. RISE Brewing Co. says it can fill up to 1,500 kegs a day of nitro cold brew coffee. Though cold brew has quickly risen in popularity, nitro cold brew's dispensing system has made widespread consumption difficult. Despite that, Dunkin' Donuts and Tim Hortons have joined Starbucks in offering the beverage, allowing for access to mainstream consumers. Along with the slow rise in popularity, many companies have begun to sell at-home nitrogen infusers such as mini-kegs or whipped cream nitrogen canisters. Even gas station and grocery stores have jumped on the bandwagon selling premade nitro cold brews to make them more available to mainstream customers. The Middle East and Fast East is catching up with the new coffee trend in consumption as some hot regions preferthe cold brew to replace the high fructose soda for the healthy beverage.