What’s Brewing for Autumn–Winter 2025
Welcome to the October edition of Beyond the Plate. As the days turn colder, drinks become more than refreshment — they’re comfort, creativity, and a cue for connection. From spiced syrups and coffee cocktails to wellness-inspired lattes and indulgent hot chocolates, this season’s drink trends balance nostalgia with innovation. Here’s what’s brewing in cafés, bars, and at home — and how you can serve up the moment.
Flavoured syrups are redefining the coffee experience in 2025 — moving from simple sweeteners to key drivers of creativity and customer appeal. According to Simpsons Beverages, indulgent dessert flavours like chocolate, hazelnut, and Black Forest remain strong, while emerging stars such as blueberry, coconut, honey, chai, and floral blends are adding freshness and flair.
With more consumers cutting sugar, cafés are turning to natural sweeteners and functional syrups to balance indulgence with wellness. Expect more seasonal flavours, social-media-ready drinks, and sustainable, clean-label innovations throughout the year.
Flavour Trends Driving Autumn-Winter Innovation
SEASONAL SPICE
Sweet spiced flavours continue to grow in popularity in autumn and winter. From the classics of Gingerbread, Cinnamon and Pumpkin Spice to the increasing popularity of Maple since Costa launched Maple Hazel in Autumn 2023. These familiar flavours bring anticipation every year and bring comfort and nostalgia together—the key trend we see every autumn/winter.
*Source: Allegra Project Café UK 2024 report
A TOASTED TWIST
There’s a growing trend in the coffee syrup industry toward toasted flavours, with options like toasted marshmallow gaining popularity among consumers seeking unique, indulgent experiences. The market for coffee-flavoured syrups, including toasted varieties, is projected to grow at a healthy 4.7% CAGR by 2029, reflecting the “borrowed nostalgia” trend—comfort in classic flavours with a modern twist.
*Source: Data Bridge Market Research
FANTASY FLAVOURS
The festive season is a great time to play with imagination and the fantasy trend. You can use more traditional flavours alongside more obscure or ambiguous flavours to create a ‘new’ flavour profile or beverage style. Consumers are intrigued by the mystery and will buy it for aesthetic or reveal appeal. The fastest growing fantasy flavours are rainbow (+141%), cosmic (+20%) and dream (+28%)* which lean into the colourful aesthetics.
*Source: IBC Simply Autumn Winter Market Trends Report 2025
NUTTY BY NATURE
Pecan is no longer just for pies — it’s making its mark in lattes, frappes, hot chocolates, and dessert-inspired drinks. With its buttery, roasted profile, pecan brings nostalgia, warmth, and versatility — perfect for premium drinks that transition seamlessly from autumn to winter. In the UK, Google search interest in 'pecan' consistently peaks in November, signalling strong seasonal appeal. Globally, the pecan market is on the rise — projected to grow from $2.39B in 2025 to $3.14B by 2029, at 7.1% CAGR.
*Source: researchandmarkets.com
Popular Autumn Coffee Drinks
As days become shorter and nights become colder, a lot of people look for more coziness with their coffee beverage. Let’s check a few examples of seasonal coffee drinks suitable for autumn.
Pumpkin Latte
Combining pumpkin spice syrup with an espresso shot and steamed milk can result in a delicious and rich beverage.
Cinnamon Maple Latte
Seasonal coffee drinks for autumn often use various spices and sweet flavours. That’s the case with this beverage. It uses ingredients such as cinnamon powder, maple syrup, and vanilla.
Coffee Cider
Combining apple cider and coffee results in a great beverage that’s perfect for cold Autumn nights.
Popular Winter Coffee Drinks
Business owners often use the holiday season in marketing. The same is true for specialty coffee shops and local roasters. That’s why the example we share below can be associated with cold weather and the holidays.
Eggnog Latte
Combining steamed eggnog and espresso is the right choice for cold winter days.
Gingerbread Latte
This beverage is done by mixing an espresso shot with gingerbread syrup, steamed milk, and various types of spices like cinnamon and cloves.
Peppermint Mocha
It combines the fresh flavour of peppermint with the sweetness of chocolate syrup and the energy boost of coffee
Source: www.bluecart.com/blog/seasonal-coffee-drinks
If you were a coffee order, what would you be?
Every nation in the world has some form of coffee, and almost all of us drink it, every day! Take this quiz to find out what coffee order you’d be at your local bean scene.
Try It Out: Syrup-Inspired Coffee Creations
Bring the flavours of the season to life! Explore easy-to-make recipes featuring IBC Simply Syrups — from cozy Halloween treats to warm winter favourites. Click below to get inspired and recreate these drinks at home or in-store:
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