Warming drink trends for winter
JOBURG – Winter is near and we need something both warm and trendy to sip on this season.
Consumers’ tastes are always evolving to keep up with the times, and winter this year is clearly no exception.
Chrissy Beedle, research and product development manager at Slo-Jo – a leading beverage producer and supplier in South Africa – shares some lip-smacking insight into this year winter’s most popular flavour favourites.
Cheerful choc-mint delight
While chocolate is just one of those flavours that never goes out of style, this winter will see the decadent choc-mint pairing take its rightful place in the spotlight at trendy restaurants and eateries nationwide.
“While choc-mint is often thought to be suited to a more refined palate, mint adds freshness to the flavour profile, reducing the heady sweetness in chocolate for a more balanced overall taste,” said Beedle.
Mint isn’t the only flavour that teams like a dream with chocolate – chilli, orange and coconut are just some of the other delightful pairings that are sure to become popular this season.
Put a little popcorn on it
From salted caramel to good old butter salt, popcorn continues to trend in 2017, including winter. The earthy, buttery-soft sweet notes in popcorn add an interesting flavour dynamic to lattes and coffees, creating the perfect hot drink for winter.
“Popcorn has already been trending elsewhere in the world for the past 18 months, and winter will finally see the flavour get more attention from South African consumers,” said Beedle.
Use it as a topping on Gourmet Crushes and Freezos to enhance these well-loved classic flavours.
S’more, please
South Africans are quickly cottoning on to the American-born S’more craze, which involves roasting marshmallows on an open flame and sandwiching them between two crackers or biscuits.
“People love S’mores, simply because it reminds them of their childhoods,” said Beedle.
“It’s an oozy, gooey, sensationally sweet experience, and South Africans will likely fall in love with it for the malt undertones of the flavour, which we already enjoy in hot drinks like Milo and Horlicks.”
Brands like Slo-Jo offer all these delicious flavours in their range of products, so don’t miss the trend.
What’s your favourite flavour this season? Share your thoughts on the City Buzz Facebook page.
