Jessica Monro, Monin beverage expert

As operators roll out autumn menus earlier each year, the pressure to balance dependable crowd-pleasers with headline-grabbing innovation has never been higher. Today’s consumers want the comforting, dessert-like profiles of autumn, but they demand them in formats that look just as good on a smartphone screen as they taste on the palate.

To find out what’s driving seasonal drink innovation, we spoke with Jessica Monro, Beverage Expert at Monin. Below, she shares insights on the resilience of pumpkin spice, the mechanics of successful limited-time offers, and how independent cafes are turning viral food culture into the next big cafe hit.

Pumpkin spice has dominated seasonal menus for years. Are you seeing consumer fatigue set in, and what unexpected flavour profiles are stepping up to take their place this autumn?

I don't think pumpkin spice is going anywhere. If anything, we're still seeing demand grow, alongside other Autumn flavours such like maple. The window in which Pumpkin spice is available to consumers has become much wider. Many operators now build anticipation through loyalty apps, giving customers access to PSL's as early as August.

The rise of 'Newstalgia' means consumers are rediscovering familiar flavours, but they're looking for them in new formats. Things like cold foams, flavour layering, different textures and customisation are helping classic Autumn drinks feel more relevant to younger consumers. Rather than replacing Pumpkin spice, I think we're seeing the Autumn flavour offering become more diverse. 

Ultimately, consumers aren't looking to move away from Autumn classics; they're looking for new and exciting ways to experience them.

We've recently seen some unusual flavour combinations, such as cream cheese bagel-flavoured coffee. Could we see coffee shops adopting an LTO approach to testing these unconventional flavours?

The cream cheese bagel latte might sound surprising, but it's part of a wider trend we're seeing across cafes at the moment. Operators are taking inspiration from much more than traditional coffee flavours, looking to desserts, bakery products and even savoury foods to create interesting LTO's. 

We've already seen social media drive the success of drinks such as the Viral Banana pudding latte from Vnilla, Covent Garden, while cafes such as Studio Coffee - Arcade London are also experimenting with flavours such as miso, black sesame and even Gochujang. These kinds of combinations create a sense of discovery and give consumers something new to both try and talk about. LTO's are a great way for coffee shops to test these more unconventional ideas, seeing what resonates with their customers before committing to permanent menu additions.

Social media trends are increasingly demanding visually appealing drinks to boost content appeal; we've seen this with the bright, colourful fruity drinks this summer. The classic white PSL latte could fall short here. What flavours could brands adopt this autumn to appeal to the younger, social media-focused generations?

The challenge for brands isn't that consumers are bored of Autumn flavours. Instead, younger, social media-driven audiences are looking for drinks that offer more excitement.

We're seeing growing demand for colourful, layered and customisable beverages that deliver both in flavour and shareability. Matcha drinkers, for example, are more likely than coffee drinkers to visit cafes with friends and are twice as likely to share their drinks on social media. 

There's an opportunity to reinvent classic Autumn flavours in a more engaging way. Bright, colourful bases such as matcha or ube can be paired with seasonal favourites like pumpkin spice or maple pecan, giving consumers the comforting flavours they love while adding a strong aesthetic element. Extras such as flavoured cold foams or creams, drizzles and textured toppings can take a simple drink to the next level and make it more shareable. 

What is your favourite autumn flavour, and what are you most excited to try this year?

I'm particularly excited to watch what micro trends emerge from social media and see how they're translated into coffee shop menus. Last Autumn, we saw flavours like cherry, banana and apple appear in a variety of formats, from dessert-inspired lattes to cold foams and seasonal matcha drinks. The speed at which these trends move from social media into cafes is fascinating. What interests me most is seeing how cafes take a flavour that's trending on social media and turn it into something that works as a drink. Independent coffee shops are often the quickest to jump on these trends, so it's always interesting to see what pops up next.