06.06.11
Summer Sippin'
Rebecca Gelston

I always look forward to seasonal drinks and the promotion surrounding them; blame it on nostalgia or marketing. Spring and summer always make me think of freshly squeezed lemonade or setting out a big jar with various kinds of tea to steep in the summer sun (winter makes me think of…). Around here we are well aware of trends and popular flavors but I find it interesting to see who’s doing what and how it compares to what we’ve created for our customers (I have nothing to do with the formulation process, but I’m competitive).

This season I’m feeling upbeat for Jamba Juice’s Berry upBEET smoothie, a combination of strawberries and blueberries with carrot, beet, broccoli and lettuce juice. Beets are a great source of vitamin C, magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus and are sadly under appreciated by well, most people. This drink is a nice pairing of healthy and unexpected ingredients and at 250 calories it’s also a reasonable summer treat.

Have you...

Beverages
beets, healthy, jamba juice, lto, nostalgia, seasonal drinks
03.15.11
A Tasty Bit O’ Nostalgia
Rebecca Gelston

Marketing Manager Rebecca Gelston worked with the Mont Blanc Gourmet innovation team to create a homemade mint concoction for St. Patrick’s Day. Nostalgia is a remarkable thing, and I believe it is the primary force behind the legendary “limited time offer” that is the Shamrock Shake. The excitement, hoopla and hubbub surrounding the Shamrock Shake stupefies me every year. With a little help from our innovation team, I set out to create a Shamrock alternative using our vanilla blender drink mix, Vanilla Cold Fusion. Simply blend 2 cups of ice with 4 ounces of Vanilla Cold Fusion, 4 ounces of milk and a handful of mint leaves for about 15 seconds. Fresh...

Beverages, Innovation
holiday, lto, mint, seasonal, smoothies
12.13.10
Ho Ho Humdrum
Michael Szyliowicz

'Tis the season… and you will know it by walking into any coffee shop and being confronted by the same uninspired, seasonal holiday drinks. Can someone please put something on the drink menu that isn't a Pumpkin Spice Latte or Peppermint Mocha? Although, to be honest, I’m not completely opposed to those drinks; we make and sell both flavors, but it would be nice to see some interesting and unusual seasonal drink combinations for a change. If the specialty coffee world is going to successfully compete against larger, more established quick-serve companies, they are going to have to keep differentiating themselves with unique drink choices. Eggnog lattes are well and good, but it’s critical to get some creativity on a menu and really stand out. Spicy mochas? Horchata? TeaNog lattes? It’s too late for this season, but I hope next year the choices are more “Ho Ho Yum” and less “Ho Ho Humdrum.”

Beverages, Diary of a Chocolatier
coffee, eggnogg, holiday, horchata, lto, peppermint, pumpkin spice, seasonal