Best Practices for Blended Beverages: Supplier's Thoughts

Dilworth Coffee has been supplying coffee shops and businesses with exquisitely roasted coffee, allied products, and dry goods for over thirty years. Our products are carefully selected to meet the highest standards of quality and taste. The coffee and beverage industries continue to evolve, so we stay ahead of trends, offering products that align with current demands. As a blended beverage supplier, our goal is to provide simple, reliable solutions that cater to today’s needs, and we’d be happy to share more with you.

Blended Beverages: A Simple Way to Keep Customers Happy

Blended drinks are a new-age coffee shop staple. Before, many coffee shops became small family-sized restaurants that served coffee; smoothies, frappes, and milkshakes were reserved for the smoothie bar and the ice cream parlor. When a modern customer walks into a café or coffee shop, they expect to be able to choose from multiple kinds of coffee, baked goods, blended drinks, and teas. This begs the question, what kind of blended beverages and products should you buy from your supplier? (That's us!)

A Quick Guide from Your Blended Beverage Supplier

Start with a fruit smoothie or a puree mix, then blend it with ice and either water or milk. If you want to get fancy, you could add some chunks of real fruit to your blender, but modern fruit smoothie and puree mixes are so high-quality that you likely don't need them. Brands like Dr. Smoothie, Da Vinci, Island Oasis, and Smartfruit have recipes and ratios on the back of the bottle or carton.

Making a Great Smoothie is Easier Than You Think

With the right ingredients and a good blender, you can easily create delicious fruit smoothies that will keep your customers coming back for more. The best practice for these kinds of pour-and-blend mixes is to follow the manufacturer's recipes; they've figured it out for you! Of course, the brand of blender you use will affect your blended beverage. But you can always add a little water to thin the beverage. Conversely, it's a little trickier, making it thicker with more ice. The most popular smoothie flavors in cafes are mango and strawberry, which seem to be the most popular for a long time. So, if you're considering introducing fruit smoothies to your shop, start with those two flavors and then expand your offerings.

Blended, Sweet, and Creamy: The Appeal of Frappes

Frappes have come to be known as a blended ice and dairy beverage, with or without coffee, often with additions of syrups and flavorings. "Frappe," short for "Frappuccino," is a Starbucks invention, believe it or not. Initially, coffee was a key ingredient in this coffee shop staple. Still, frappes can be any flavor, from cookies and cream to matcha green tea. Which is why we define it as an ice and dairy beverage. In this case, the dairy often comes in the form of a powdered frappe mix.

Many blended beverage suppliers like us sell Dr. Smoothie and Big Train, two major players in the frappe game—both of which have every frappe flavor you could think of. To make a frappe, simply add a scoop of frappe mix, ice, and either milk, water, or cold brew [ours is pretty tasty] to your blender. Frappe mixes have all the flavors, sugar, and thickeners already incorporated, giving you a creamy frappe with great flavor, all with a single scoop of mix. The most popular frappe flavors are vanilla and mocha, which are no surprise. If you're considering introducing frappes to your shop, start with those two flavors and then expand your offerings.

Boost Your Menu with a Blended Beverage Supplier

In the ever-changing beverage industry, one thing remains constant: the popularity of blended beverages. Whether it's a hot summer day or a chilly one, these drinks are always a hit. Dilworth Coffee aims to be your one-stop shop for coffee and allied products, and we’re keen for the chance to work with you. You can see all the blended beverage options we have to offer here.