Millennials have a reputation for being difficult to market to, but when it comes to drinks, they’re not too hard to figure out.
According to Technomic’s 2016 Consumer Brand Metrics, 67% of millennials prioritize the ability to customize their hot beverages, so when planning different ways to attract millennials to convenience stores for coffee, that’s one important thing to keep in mind.
But customization isn’t the only thing they’re looking for. Retailers can also attract millennials by offering seasonal flavors and limited-time offers—for coffee and other non-alcohol beverages alike.
Making it their own
When it comes to customizing their drinks, millennials aren’t just looking for small, medium, and large cups. Seasonal blends of coffees and teas are also popular, as are flavored syrups and sugar-free flavored syrups. And according to Technomic’s 2016 Center of the Plate: Seafood & Vegetarian Consumer Trend Report, 21% of young consumers follow less traditional diets including vegan and vegetarian diets, which means they may be looking for dairy alternatives for their drinks. Retailers can help boost interest by offering a selection of flavored creamers and syrups, as well as almond, coconut, or soy milk to appeal to consumers who don’t eat dairy.
Changing seasons, changing drinks
About 39% of consumers ages 18-34 say that their flavor preferences for beverages change depending on the season, according to Technomic’s presentation “Driving Traffic with Seasonal Promotions.” Additionally, 69% of millennials say they are more likely to buy items that are “seasonal.”
To take advantage of that inclination, c-store operators can offer options such as pumpkin-spice coffee drinks in the fall and peppermint-mocha drinks during winter. Seasonal flavors can also include toffee syrups, apple cider, and salted caramel. And since 33% of millennials say they’re willing to pay more for seasonal items, this can even be an opportunity for retailers to increase item prices a bit for a boost in sales.
Get it while you can
According to Technomic’s 2016 Beverage Consumer Trend Report, about a third (29%) of consumers ages 18-34 say that new and unique beverage flavors are very important when choosing where to purchase a beverage. Retailers can offer LTO beverages that feature emerging flavors to test how well they sell — younger consumers are more likely to be driven by unique flavors, so LTOs featuring those flavors can be particularly appealing to them.
According to Technomic’s MenuMonitor, some up-and-coming flavors in the non-alcohol-beverage category include peppermint, grape, carrot, blood orange, lavender, lemon verbena, and beet.
Appealing to millennials doesn’t have to feel like a puzzle—these younger consumers want a beverage that they can customize, as well as one that matches what they’re craving throughout the year, including seasonal beverages and other limited-time offers.
This post is sponsored by Keurig Green Mountain