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Home Blog The Drink Market: What’s Trending this Autumn

The Drink Market: What’s Trending this Autumn

A strong autumn drinks menu is one of the easiest ways to boost footfall as consumer cravings shift toward warm, nostalgic, limited‑time flavours. With 65% of consumers excited to try new seasonal items and 7 in 10 more likely to visit cafés offering rotating drinks, autumn is a prime opportunity to launch comforting, crave‑worthy specials.

This season’s trends lean into rich, warming flavours, with spiced lattes, indulgent hot chocolates, and dessert‑inspired frappes featuring cinnamon, gingerbread, toasted marshmallow, sticky toffee pudding, apple crumble, and black forest. These nostalgic mash‑ups are driving demand and helping cafés stand out.

Seasonal drinks don’t just taste good, they build your brand. Limited‑time offerings spark social buzz, encourage repeat visits, and help you compete with high‑street chains releasing autumn menus earlier each year. Whether you’re a café, coffee shop, dessert bar, or mobile operator, a strong autumn menu gives customers more reasons to visit and return.

 

The Drink Market At A Glance:

1. Trending Flavours for Autumn 2026

  • Brown Butter
  • Pandan
  • Chilli
  • Cherry
  • Honey
  • Gingerbread
  • Toasted
  • Orange
  • Spice – including pumpkin spice!

2. International Influence

Globally inspired flavours in beverages originate mostly from Asia and more recently the Middle East – appearing in iced lattes, matcha, coolers and frappes. Social and influencer platforms are fuelling flavour discovery – global ethnic F&B launches are growing +8% YoY (Jul 2019–Jun 2024). Flavour discovery is booming, with 23% of Gen Z and 22% of Millennials actively seek new flavour experiences*

Creme Brulee Iced Latte

Creme Brulee Iced Latte

3. Bakery in a Beverage

Dessert-inspired drinks are perfect for autumn. The fusion of bakery-inspired flavours into coffee is a notable trend, reflecting consumers’ desire for nostalgic and indulgent taste experiences. Over 40% of consumers saying traditional and familiar tastes influence their beverage choices, like carrot cake, banana bread and other bakery inspired flavours.

4. Social Media Influence: Eating with Our Eyes

The visual appeal of drinks is important, with social media playing a role in shaping trends, influencing consumer choices and driving sales. When asked what makes a drink go viral, over half of respondents cited “striking visuals and colour combinations”, nearly 6x more impactful than the use of unexpected ingredients or influencer involvement.

5. Customer Classics

Many customers eagerly await the return of their favourite seasonal classics. From the classics of Gingerbread, Cinnamon and Pumpkin Spice, these familiar flavours bring anticipation every year, and bring comfort and nostalgia together – the key trend we see every autumn / winter.

6. Sipping with Texture 

Millennials & Gen Z are driving demand for textured drinks across matcha, milkshakes, iced chocolates, and more. Cold foams, whipped layers, and soft serve style builds are growing across menus. 44% of consumers* say texture significantly impacts their enjoyment of drinks – 32% love light airy foams and 28% seek smooth creamy indulgence!

Menu Ideas

Matcha Menu Must-haves:

International Influence:

Bakery in a Beverage:

 

Toasted Pecan Frappe

Toasted Pecan Frappe

Customer Classics:

Quick Serve:

 

 

Need help planning your dessert or drinks menu?

If you’d like help customising your menu or have questions about our products and recipes, SIMPLY has the insights, products, and expertise to help. Contact our sales team through our live web chat, call 0800 689 5128 or email sales@ibcsimply.com

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