Guest blog: Summer café culture and its power to connect

As I experience the first heat wave of the summer, I have been paying attention to the explosion of cold beverages on the menu. In the small city of Orillia, Ontario, all the cafés are expanding their offerings, going beyond the standard specialty coffee on ice to drinks that are a little more playful, from cloud matcha to iced blueberry lattes.

Coco Cookies is a cookie shop located near a local high school, with its main clientele being 14-18-year-olds. Iced vanilla chai remains a staple throughout the year; however, in June, the bakery has expanded its menu, providing one-day drink specials, a secret menu which they post on social media and monthly treats, a dragon fruit pomegranate iced green tea, and biscuit cinny roll latte, available in both hot and cold.

The younger generation, including millennials and Generation Z, is opting for iced beverages year-round, such as iced matcha, chai, cold brew, and iced teas. However, as the warm season arrives, demand for iced beverages increases, resulting in a surge of innovative beverages emerging at smaller cafés.

“People are seeing coffee as a hobby more than something that you wake up and drink every day,” said Matt Stiver, creator and host of Lifestyle Lab on a recent Coffee Association of Canada (CAC) webinar, Social Media Trends that are Shaping Coffee.

There is a new playfulness in the coffee experience, which is evolving beyond beverages to create spaces where consumers can learn and explore coffee culture. Alison Ensworth of House of Funk in North Vancouver has created a space where she delivers curated coffee beverages, workshops, gatherings, and competitions. The result is a thriving community that comes together to explore these tailored experiences. “House of Funk [is] in the coffee business, but really we are in the novelty experience,” shared Ensworth, during the same CAC webinar. “We are here to offer a funky experience so that people say, is that this coffee. Hopefully, it develops a community and brings people together that want something exciting in their cup.”

Coffee dance parties are gaining popularity across North America, offering a daytime club-like experience where the primary beverage served is coffee. Music, whether live or provided by a DJ, is central to these events and can range from intimate gatherings to a festival-like atmosphere. The most recent Toronto-based Coffee Party, hosted by Zohib Aziz, which featured yoga classes, art, and a farmer’s market, drew close to 4,000 attendees.

Caffeine or morning wake-up is no longer the primary motivator for consuming coffee, particularly among younger consumers. These consumers want tailored experiences, which include actively seeking spaces that provide both creative beverages and a community in which they can share them.

Anne-Marie Hardie is a freelance writer, professor and speaker based in Barrie, Ontario. She may be reached at: [email protected].