As winter approaches, Arkadia has uncovered trends and created 10 new recipes that we think will become the signature drinks of the season.
Differentiation in the cafe space is not always easy. Every company needs something to differentiate itself from its competitors, and that differentiation is often found in menus.
Flavor specialist Arkadia is an Australian family-owned business with over 25 years’ experience supporting the cafe industry with coffee alternative beverages. The company is continually developing a growing recipe suite that introduces an array of food and drink options for cafes looking to add something new to their menu.
Owned and operated by Maltra Foods, Arkadia is constantly looking at innovations from around the world to stay at the forefront of trends.
“Posting what you eat and drink on social media is all the rage these days. One way cafes can get visitors to post and talk about it is by offering surprise drink specials. adoption,” says Ramona Calda, Martra Foods Marketing Manager.
“For cafes who are struggling to find a signature recipe, we are here to help and inspire them.”
Arkadia’s new website and Winter Warmers recipe booklet feature dozens of drink creations that incorporate the company’s powdered and liquid beverage products. His 10 newest recipes were published in early 2024. New menu items include S’mores Mint Hot Chocolate, Biscoff Chai Latte, and Earl Gray White Hot Chocolate.
“Consumers tend to seek out these comforting drinks during the winter months, especially in areas where it gets a bit colder, such as Sydney, Tasmania and Melbourne,” Ramona said.
The process of creating these recipes begins with researching new trends from around the world. According to Ramona, the continued increase in plant-based milks is a key consideration for the winter lineup, and new recipes are built to be easily used as dairy alternatives.
Another theme highlighted by the Arcadia team was a continued focus on tapping into nostalgia and childhood memories in the food and beverage space. As a result, recipes such as Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate have been constructed to recreate the taste of classic chocolate bars.
“It’s all about customization and creating new recipes, so your cafe can stand out from the crowd,” says Ramona. “You need to stay on top of the latest trends because these trends are often what customers are looking for.
“Once we choose a theme, we brief our research and development (R&D) team and they start thinking about how to create these recipes using our products. Most of our team comes from barista backgrounds. We use that experience to develop unique recipes for cafes.”
Kylie Chan, Arcadia’s brand manager, added that the core concept of the recipe booklet is to showcase the versatility of the brand’s range, meaning customers do not have to follow each recipe verbatim.
“Cafe owners are busy people, so our role is to translate trends into recipes so they can focus on running their business,” she says. “At the same time, our recipes are creative starting points that cafes can use to try new things.”
Kylie says cafe owners need to understand what kind of drinks best fit their cafe’s identity.
“The first thing I think about when creating a new recipe is to educate the cafe,” she says. “We encourage them to choose the products, recipes and flavors that best suit their region and profile.”
According to Kylie, Arcadia’s Black Forest Hot Chocolate, along with familiar flavors like Orange Jaffa Hot Chocolate, is a great choice for upscale cafes with a young, social media-savvy demographic looking to post eye-catching content. An ideal menu option. , complements the venue with a more homely atmosphere.
Kylie added that regardless of their favorite winter drink recipe, every cafe can benefit from adding something unique to their menu rather than sticking to the basics.
“You can do so much more with a standard hot chocolate or chai,” she says. “Experimentation is part of the process, and we love seeing what people come up with on their own.”
For more information, please visit www.arkadiabeverages.com.au.
This article appears in the April 2024 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe here.
