Seattle-based Starbucks Corp. announced the development of a new, patent-pending cold-extraction process that produces a concentrated, smooth-tasting shot of cold-pressed espresso.
The cold-pressed espresso shot will serve as the foundation for a new suite of in-store menu options focused on cold espresso beverages and will debut at the company’s premium, Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Seattle, the company says. Since opening in December 2014, the Seattle Roastery has served as a pipeline of innovation for Starbucks, which includes the introduction of Nitro Cold Brew, which now is available at more than 1,000 stores nationwide and 16 markets globally, it adds.
“From cold brew to Starbucks draft, we have been building a cold coffee platform that not only appeals to our customers, but acknowledges that cold beverages are no longer just seasonal,” said Kevin Johnson, Starbucks president and chief executive officer, in a statement. “This new technique, which produces a dense shot of cold-pressed espresso, is the next step in our cold-coffee journey and the perfect ingredient to design a menu of cold espresso or coffee options. We believe the opportunities are limitless.”
Designed by the Starbucks Research and Development team, the new Aqua Tamp Technology uses an ascending-flow filtration system that is pressurized by cold water, the company says. The inverted process allows for a precise release of flavor characteristics resulting in a dense concentration of cold espresso. In doing so, it allows the release of a sweeter coffee flavor and smooth finish to break through, thereby making the cold-pressed espresso extracted the ideal pairing to a variety of cold liquids allowing it to retain the intensity of the espresso flavor, it says.
This new breakthrough builds on the company’s ongoing investment in the category of iced beverages. During its 2016 Investor Conference, Starbucks noted that it expects to quadruple its cold brew business by 2021 and its overall cold beverage mix to move from more than 35 percent in 2013 to nearly 50 percent by 2021, it says. U.S. iced coffee consumption has grown by 75 percent in the past decade, and cold-brew sales grew 338.9 percent between 2010 and 2015, it adds, citing Chicago-based Mintel and Starbucks Consumer Insight data.
Now available, the Seattle Roastery cold-pressed espresso menu includes three new cold-pressed espresso beverages:
- Sparkling Cold-Pressed Americano: A shot of cold-pressed espresso poured over sparkling water and served on ice.
- Cold-Pressed Americano Exploration Flight: A tasting flight featuring one Cold-Pressed Americano, one traditional Iced Americano and one Sparkling Cold-Pressed Americano.
- Cold-Pressed Ginger Fizz: Crisp, refreshing ginger ale infused with a shot of cold-pressed espresso, poured over barrel-aged vanilla syrup and finished with grapefruit bitters.
