Entering the age of lavender
Lavender Latte. Image credit: Jaho Coffee
Lavender has long-been valued in herbal medicine for its health benefits and has been a leading ingredient in myriad beauty and skincare products due to its calming effects, as well as in tea to promote stress-relief. Now, the coffee industry is embracing the popular relaxation ingredient and the resulting beverages are quickly finding fans. By Vladislav Vorotnikov
In recent years, lavender has been rapidly building a fan base among coffee lovers around the world, and market players believe this trend is only just gaining traction.
Best known for its calming effects, lavender has historically been highly valued in herbal medicine for its health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. There is scientific evidence that lavender aromatherapy may help reduce stress, promote better sleep, lower blood pressure, and even relieve some pain. Research also shows that inhaling lavender can help reduce anxiety and depression.
The word lavender comes from the Latin word lavare, which means “to wash.” In many ancient cultures, including Greece, Persia, and Rome, lavender was believed to purify the body and mind. In Roman times, the blossoms were sold for about the same amount as a farm worker’s monthly salary. Fortunately, lavender is much more affordable today.
Tea & lavender: an ideal union
Over the years, this herb has gained a foothold in the tea industry, where it is appreciated for its pleasant taste and potential calming benefits. “Flowers are widely perceived to lift people’s moods and are also a popular choice of gift when trying to cheer someone up. Here is where floral teas can step in and raise their game in the mental wellbeing area,” said David Faulkner, associate director with Mintel Food & Drink.
According to Faulkner, in an increasingly chaotic world, relaxation is the top priority for tea drinkers. Already the leading category for stress and relaxation claims, tea is uniquely positioned to further develop this role in the coming years.
“Brands innovating around floral teas should actively target stress relief and good mood – the benefits commonly associated with ‘real’ flowers. Beyond ‘good night’, there is room for ‘good day’ mood-boosting teas.”
Tea is the leading category for innovation in this context. As estimated by Mintel, while Asia Pacific leads launch activity, remarkable growth can be seen in North America, where floral flavours doubled within the past five years.
The rise in popularity of lavender in the tea industry is absolutely in line with the existing trends of consumers becoming more health and wellness-focused, as well as the growing desire for more exotic flavours, especially among younger consumers, commented Niya Vatel, owner of Tea and I, a US-based tea company. She added that the general increase in the use of herbal and botanical ingredients is also contributing to the rising popularity of lavender.
Furthermore, “people are willing to pay a premium for a sensory experience and potential health benefits,” Vatel indicated. And perhaps more importantly in today’s world, lavender is now among the products that “ride the social media wave, being cherished by celebrities and influencers, which proves to be a catalyst for its booming popularity.
“We must also remember the influence of social media marketing. When lavender-infused beverages are showcased in visually appealing ‘Instagrammable’ ways, it can lead to faster widespread adoption,” Vatel said. What is additionally important, she continued, “is that the health benefits of lavender aren’t folklore: it’s backed by science, so it’s great for consumers looking for that reassurance and interest in organic, natural, clean-label products.”
A perfect blended paradox
While lavender has already become a common part of tea culture, it is still an emerging trend in the coffee industry.
Paul Rooke, executive director of the British Coffee Association, commented, “For several years, there has been innovation around the use of flavours and aromas in coffee, so it’s no surprise that lavender would be part of that development.”
In general, the rise in lavender’s popularity is partly linked to the young generation’s constant desire to experiment with flavours and tastes. “Coffee as a beverage readily lends itself to being combined with a wide range of different ingredients, and we see more of that as new generations of coffee drinkers explore these opportunities,” Rooke explained. “It is clear that the use of herbal and botanical ingredients as a part of that innovative exploration is fast becoming a staple part of the UK’s hot beverage scene.”
Analysts say that some customers may want to add lavender to their coffee, seeking a more balanced beverage. Coffee can make some people feel anxious and negatively impact their sleep, while lavender can calm and, in theory, counter those effects. Coffee companies are rushing to capitalise on the growing purple trend.
“We have noticed an increase in the request for lavender beverages,” said Megan Jackman, manager with Keweenaw Coffee Works. “Usually, lavender is a popular ingredient in the spring, and would mainly only show up on our spring seasonal menu. However, lavender has become so popular that we now offer lavender beverages as part of our ‘signature’ beverage menu, which is available year-round,” Jackman said.
The growth in popularity of lavender has become so evident that Keweenaw Coffee Works has also shifted to making its own lavender syrup in-house. “Because so many customers want lavender drinks, it is important that our lavender syrup is of high quality. A lot of the lavender-flavoured syrups available on the market have an artificial flavour or smell to them, so we made the decision over a year ago to make our own lavender syrup using lavender buds and simple syrup,” Jackman explained.
Gretchen Hashemi-Rad, beverage category manager for Caribou Coffee, has also observed a surge in consumer interest in lavender coffee. “In recent years we have noticed an increased demand for customisation, including the desire for plant-based milks.” She added that “this surge in popularity led us to the decision to offer free non-dairy customisation when ordering via the app. We also believe Gen Z and millennial customers are driving these beverage trends including lavender. The popularity of social networks and influencers has made a significant impact on these trends as well.”
Hannah Holmes, a spokesperson for flavours and ingredients supplier, Finlays, said the company “has certainly noticed a rise in lavender – and other floral flavours over the past few years.” She explained that several factors are driving its popularity, such as consumer demand for ‘adult’ soft beverages that offer an alternative to sweet carbonated soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. Holmes shared that lavender creates a more unconventional and sophisticated flavour profile, appealing to consumers seeking distinctive, artisanal and craft beverages.
“There’s also a health angle – as consumers typically associate lavender with relaxation and calming – as evidenced by its frequent usage in the health and beauty space in products such as bath soaks,” she said.
Additionally, the soft purple hue creates visual appeal, which is increasingly important for beverages gaining traction on social media, Holmes stated, adding that the new Starbucks Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha is a great example of a distinctive beverage, drawing on the sweet floral notes and visual impact of purple and green from the matcha and lavender.
“Lavender is the perfect flavour to transition us from the winter season into spring,” said Patrick Penny, Starbucks beverage developer in a company-issued press release. “Its soft sweetness, light floral notes and beautiful colour ignite feelings of rejuvenation and awakening associated with the change of seasons.” The new Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha features matcha and oatmilk served over ice, and topped with lavender cream cold foam, which creates sweet and subtle floral notes. “When creating the new Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha, we wanted to capture the uplifting energy of spring in a cup,” Penny shared. “The vibrant green matcha topped with lavender-hued cold foam delivers a delightfully colourful and unexpectedly delicious flavour combination.” Starbucks’ spring beverage menu also includes an Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte.
Herbal & botanical revolution
“The underlying trends for adult soft drinks, relaxation and visual appeal are key drivers of consumer behaviour so we expect lavender to remain popular for several years, but with key developments [such as] the distinction of ‘French lavender’ or the trend expanding to include other floral teas and botanicals [like] Darjeeling or peony,” Holmes shared.
However, the soaring popularity of lavender might be only the tip of the iceberg. There is a more powerful trend underneath, which is raising consumer interest in herbals and botanicals, including in coffee beverages.
“In seeking natural ingredients, consumers are driving the popularity of herbals and botanicals – there are several angles to this, health and perceived functionality; the visual impact of botanicals, eg, hibiscus; and the desire for new and innovative flavours,” Holmes said.
“Coffee is such an innovative space,” Hashemi-Rad pointed out. “Like with lavender, more herbal and botanical ingredients may end up having a bigger impact on the beverage industry in the future. While an unwavering love of specialty coffee is at the core of what we do every single day, our guests’ wants and needs are always evolving.”
Holmes suggested that businesses need to be innovative and forward-looking to ensure they are reactive to changing consumer preferences, which is obviously a major challenge with the fast-moving nature of trends. “At Finlays, we employ several tactics to stay ahead of the curve, including being highly active on #DrinkTok, using predictive AI to forecast trending flavours and ingredients and looking outside of the beverage category – for example into health and beauty – to understand the wider consumer landscape. This enables us to support customers in capturing pockets of high growth in the large and mature categories in which they operate,” Holmes said.
“Today’s consumers are informed and conscious about the health benefits of what they consume, so it’s unsurprising that companies are taking note and popularising botanical ingredients,” agreed Tea and I’s Vatel. “Consumers want the best of both worlds: beverages that taste great and are good for them. The boost in lavender use aligns with that growing trend of taste exploration and health-conscious consumption, and I don’t see it going anywhere any time soon.”
- Vladislav Vorotnikov is a Batumi, Georgia-based multimedia B2B freelance journalist writing about the tea and coffee industries since 2012.
