The numbers are looking great for makers of refrigerated coffee and tea; each category shows increases in both units and dollar sales. Data in the foodservice market are especially promising for cold coffees.
Research by Chicago-based Mintel shows that cold-served coffee’s share of all coffee on menus of U.S. restaurants and coffee houses increased from 19% to 22% between 2009 and 2012. And in the first quarter of 2013, its share jumped from 22% to 24%, which indicates the interest in iced and frozen coffee is now going beyond the summer-only appeal.