Why Coffee Houses, Restaurants, and Bakeries Need to Offer Agave Nectar

This article will discuss why it is important for coffee houses, restaurants and bakeries to offer agave nectar as a sweetening option to their customers. There is currently a growing trend of organic and natural products, and many consumers will shy away from places that do not offer organic alternatives for their sweetening needs, be it for their coffee, teas, smoothies or baked treats.

The sweetener market is currently shifting away from high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners due to strong market forces that are changing consumers’ purchasing behaviors. A leading factor in this market shift is the increasing demand for healthy and organic items, “U.S. sales of organic food and beverages have grown from $1 billion in 1990 to $24.8 billion in 2009″ (OTA). An increase in obesity and type 2 diabetes has led many households to change their sweetener consumption towards healthier options. Furthermore, baby boomers are shifting to healthier lifestyles as they move into older age; this includes consumption of organic and healthier goods. The growing awareness of possible health issues caused by the use of high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners has also motivated consumers to start using alternative sweeteners such as agave syrup.

Thus, we can see that consumers want a healthy, natural alternative to the artificial sweeteners and refined sugar currently available in the marketplace. If coffee houses, restaurants, bakeries, and other retail outlets ignore this consumer need, they will slowly start to lose customers to rival companies that do offer agave nectar.

Why agave nectar, can’t I just offer stevia?

In short, yes, you can offer stevia as a natural alternative to artificial and refined sugars. It is a natural product, which is also calorie free, and is thus a very good option for the calorie-conscious consumer. However, there are some limitations that stevia has: its slight aftertaste makes it unsuitable for customers who want a clean, sweet taste, and it’s not really suitable for baking or cooking applications.

Contrastingly, agave nectar typically has a clean, sweet taste, which makes it a good option for a customer looking for that sweet taste profile. Agave nectar can also be used in a wide range of cooking, baking, and drink applications. Thus, agave syrup is a great option for a customer looking for a healthy, natural alternative for their sweetening needs.

Another reason why coffee houses, restaurants, and bakeries should offer agave nectar is that they would be showing their customers that they care about the environment. Most brands of agave nectar are USDA Certified Organic, meaning that no chemicals or pesticides are used in the farming of the agave plant. This ensures that the land used for planting the agave is safe for future use, and drain water doesn’t harm the environment.

The growing demand for organic sweeteners has demonstrated that businesses that cater to health-conscious and educated individuals need to adapt and start including agave nectar in their shops. However, agave nectar should be another option, and not the sole source of sweetener in your store, as there will still be many customers that will prefer the ‘traditional’ sweetening options.

I hope you enjoyed the article, please comment if you have any questions.