The hottest drink these days is Iced

Iced coffee isn’t just a trend anymore—it’s the drink of choice for a whole new generation. Forget the steaming mug: Gen Z is reaching for chilled cups and serious Instagram energy. In fact, Nestlé reports that one out of every three coffees ordered out-of-home is cold. That’s not just a fad—that’s a full-blown movement.

And it’s not stopping at coffee bars. Scroll through TikTok or Instagram and you’ll see at-home baristas whipping up everything from whipped instant creations to syrup-drizzled iced lattes. All it takes is a shot of espresso, a scoop of instant, or a creative twist of flavour, and suddenly the kitchen is a coffee lab. Cool, custom, and camera-ready—cold coffee is officially the modern coffee ritual.

At Caffenation we've been serving iced coffee since the start in 2003, but saw a lot of changes in style and popularity over the years. An overview:

The early years:

Black: Back then, we only knew the Italian way: a straight shot of espresso, sweetened by the customer if they wished, served alongside a glass of ice cubes. Simple, classic, no fuss.

White: Frappés, on the other hand, were a whole performance. Milk blended with ice, liquid cane sugar, and a touch of vanilla sugar, poured into a glass, then topped with a single espresso shot. And the iced mochaccinos? Total crowd-pleasers. The chocolate drizzle on the glass made them as much a feast for the eyes as for the taste buds.

The in-between years:

Black: It’s been a journey. We’ve experimented with it all—Cold Brew, slow brew, flash brew—before settling on a simple method: brew filter coffee as usual, then chill it. This technique demands top-notch, light-roasted beans, pure water, and a solid batch brewer—sorry, no Moccamasters allowed.

White: The classic frappé? Honestly, it used to be mostly air. Over the years, we’ve upgraded it with double shots of espresso poured over ice and your choice of milk or oat drink. Vanilla shots at the bottom were once a must, but trends shift, and now people are simplifying their order.

2025:

Black: Nitro has quickly become the way to enjoy iced coffee. That silky-smooth mouthfeel? Game changer. No surprise it’s fueling a sales boom and winning over more fans every year.

White: The iced latte is the undisputed summer champion, but here’s the twist—it’s no longer just seasonal. We’re seeing people reach for it year-round. And the variations keep growing: decaf options are on the rise, and coconut “milk” is stepping up as a favorite alternative to oat or dairy.

Easy: The latest invention shaking things up? Liquid instant coffee and concentrates. They make brewing faster, simpler, and more creative than ever—whether you’re behind the bar or at home.

For all our decaf creations—hot or iced—we’ve switched things up. No more grinding, tamping, and pulling shots on those big, noisy, pricey machines. Instead, it’s just 10ml of our decaf concentrate, a splash of your favorite milk, maybe some ice if you like it cold, and boom—you’re good to go. The best part? This method makes it just as easy for home brewers to whip up café-quality decaf without the fuss.

So, is the future of coffee iced, chilled, and easy-going? Time will tell. One thing’s certain: the next generation is shaking things up and sipping differently. Want to know where it all goes next? Stick with us at Caffenation—we’ve always got our finger on the coffee pulse, and we’ll keep you in the loop, one cup at a time.

Rob