Employee well-being is a buzz phrase we’ve heard for years, but how many of us actually achieve it? Well, many smart employers emphasize that the key feature of a comfy workspace, of course, is a well-stocked kitchen that includes office drinks.
Today, it’s true that the ways in which employees choose to wet their whistle have come a long way. From the water cooler to the coffee pot to various beverages on tap, companies are developing new ways to provide the best for their most important resource – their employees.
So, does your company provide quality drinks to your employees? If not, there are multiple options and trends you can offer to show your care for them. Pulling on a lever to release a cool stream of a refreshing drink can keep employees happy and on track.
If you’re looking to ramp up your beverage offerings, here are 10 office drink trends (non-alcoholic to alcoholic) to keep in mind when building your beverage program.
1. Nitro Cold Brew Coffee
As one of the trendiest coffee drinks on the market, nitro cold brew coffee first made a splash in third-wave coffee shops across the country and quickly became a favorite among coffee aficionados.
It is infused with nitrogen gas that is released through a pressurized valve with tiny holes. The high pressure forces the cold brew past a disc, creating a creamy, stout-like effect in the cold brew.
With the rise in demand for cold coffee, associated with the recent heat waves across the nation, Nitro Cold Brew Coffee is becoming a much more popular choice for coffee drinkers.
This could also serve as a perfect office drink as it has found a real fan base among the health-conscious market. Naturally sweet and rich, Nitro feels like an indulgence. It’s creamy like an iced latte, but dairy-free and has roughly five calories for a standard 12-ounce beverage.
2. Bulletproof Coffee
Bulletproof coffee has been catching on for a few years now. This drink trend is getting a new influx of attention especially among coffee enthusiasts and religious coffee connoisseurs because of the health benefits it claims.
It’s said to improve metabolism and promote weight loss, and can also have a massive impact on your energy and cognitive function. But what’s in it?
Bulletproof coffee is a drink that combines coffee, oil, and butter. It is a creamy coffee served warm and looks similar to a latte. It typically blends a cup of black coffee with 1 to 2 tablespoons of unsalted, grass-fed butter and 1 to 2 tablespoons of something called medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, a type of easily digested fat.
The basic science behind the recipe is to provide energy through the coffee and essential fats to the brain for a balanced, non-jittery boost that lasts for hours. So in order to combat mental exhaustion in your workplace, this blend is definitely worth considering!
3. Cold-Pressed Juices
Cold-pressed Juice refers to beverages that use a hydraulic press to extract the fruits and vegetables’ natural flavors and essences. These drinks have been in production for several decades but started to gain popularity in the late 2000s as a way to support juice cleanses.
Several companies claim Cold Pressed Juices are healthier than regular juice, bought from the cold section in the supermarket, due to the way the juice is extracted. But one clear benefit of Cold-pressed Juices, which makes it live up to the hype, is that these natural fruit and vegetable drinks are 100% organic and glucose-free.
So if you want to promote a healthier diet in your office, these ready-to-drink cold-pressed juices do the trick!
4. Kombucha
Kombucha has long been a player in the organic industry; taking the health-and-wellness world by storm. It is a lightly effervescent beverage that is made through the fermentation process. It is produced by fermenting tea, typically black or green, using a colony of bacteria and yeast called a “SCOBY.”
The hype surrounding the beverage can be attributed to its oddly addicting taste and its surprising health benefit claims. From being a potential source of probiotics to its claim to promote weight loss, this fizzy drink is definitely something your employees will love.
Further, kombucha has become a staple of many people’s diets due to its ability to supply much-needed energy and vitality. Plus, it comes with the added benefits of nutrients and good bacteria to keep the gut health in check.
Therefore, it may help your employees have a healthier lifestyle and can be a healthier alternative to sugary drinks. If you’re interested to know more about it, check out our previous article about the Surprising Health Benefits Of Kombucha.
5. Organic Tea
Similar to coffee, there is a continued trend of tea as a healthy beverage. In fact, the demand for organic beverages, particularly coffee and tea, is rising as more consumers have become more focused on their health. Hence, organic teas have only become more popular as the years go by.
Organic tea also benefited from its presence in mainstream grocery stores with the major conventional tea players embracing the trend. Today, the four main types of organic teas include black, green, oolong and white teas.
In addition, one of the main reasons people opt for organic tea over conventionally grown tea is that organic tea is better and the safest choice. Organic tea agriculture combines tradition, innovation, and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and good quality of life for all involved. These practices are reflected in the flavor of the tea, and better nutritional content.
Without a doubt, organic tea is a great treat for your employees’ body and soul. A great selection of organic green tea, matcha, loose leaf tea, black tea, mint and more allows them to try the greatest flavors nature has to offer!
6. Hard Seltzers
This newest trend in the alcohol world is the perfect drink of choice for fitness conscious employees or anyone else looking for that alternative “healthy” happy hour drink of choice.
Its popularity comes from the fact that it’s an alcoholic beverage that gets you buzzed, has low carb counts, and still manages to taste crisp and refreshing. It’s no wonder hard seltzer is a libation your employees will definitely love!
Unlike a vodka soda or gin and tonic, the alcohol in most hard seltzer brands come from fermented sugars. So, when your employees crack open a can of seltzer during the workday, they’re just drinking fermented sweetened seltzer– and that could be a good thing for their health and waistline!
This bubbly drink has taken over parties and offices in the past years and is a lighter, healthier alcoholic drink. If you want to know more about this trendy beverage, check out our previous Hard Seltzer article!
The best part? Recently, hard seltzer has even become available in kegs, so you can get your guilt-free fizzy buzz straight off the tap!
7. Craft Beer
Something’s been brewing in the last couple of years. A small, tight-knit community of craft brewers have made their way into different bars, pubs, shelves, and the taste buds of Americans.
Using hand-selected ingredients, Brewmasters meticulously perfect their craft beer. Every single ingredient is chosen with certain flavor characteristics in mind and brewed with the end goal of a delicious, flavorful, quality beer.
To put it simply, to earn the “craft beer” title, breweries must maintain three qualities: small, independent, traditional. Also, despite what you may have heard, San Francisco was the birthplace of the craft beer movement.
Thanks to the craft beer boom from a few years ago, breweries in the city are thriving more than ever. In fact, there are over 30 craft breweries in SF proper that belong to the San Francisco Brewers Guild. It’s a solid reason alone to shop locally when building your office beverage program.
8. Domestic Beer
Unless you’re living under a rock, you know that the domestic beer scene has always been on fire! If you picture your favorite bar happy hour special, then you have an idea of what a domestic beer is.
Basically, there are two requirements to fall under what’s called “domestic beer.” First, it needs to be produced in America, and second, it needs to be produced in one of the large breweries. About 85% of beer sales in America are domestic.
These household names have brewed beer for decades, and provide a consistent taste and quality for those who enjoy them. If you’re watching your waistline, the top domestic beer brands all have options with 150 calories or less per 12 oz. serving, and 5 grams of carbs or less. And just like craft beer, this can also be served on tap for your employees.
9. Hard Cider
Another drink on the list that is growing and becoming more popular is Hard Cider. Cider has gained lots of fans from drinkers who dislike beer, but anyone can enjoy this fruity drink.
It has an alcoholic content similar to that of beer, with most ciders ranging from 4.5 to 10 percent ABV. Both the cider and beer categories include a few outliers that contain even higher alcohol content.
Unless otherwise specified, hard cider is made from pure apple juice. So it offers the same health benefits the juice does. Hard cider, like unfermented juice, contains plenty of vitamin C and a considerable number of antioxidants. Traditional hard cider is also gluten-free. These benefits can make this drink the next favorite beverage in your office!
Check out the best hard ciders made in the Bay Area!
10. Canned Wine
Wineries have dabbled in alternative packaging over the past few decades, including the trend of canned wine! Once considered a novelty, cans have burst into the mainstream, enticing various wine drinkers to pop the tab with their easy-drinking style, convenient packaging, and value.
Casual and serious wine drinkers alike are also turning to cans as an alternative to traditional bottled packaging. Sales of canned wine are soaring in the US, as consumers become more open-minded to alternative packaging format for wine.
Millennials searching for a casual drink are a driving force for canned wine. Drinking out of a can is much more casual than using a corkscrew and pouring into a glass.
This modern packaging of wines can easily make its way into your office. Not only will your employees perceive wine with practicality, simplicity, and convenience, the non-beer-drinkers will no longer feel left out during the office happy hour.
Conclusion
It’s no secret that people need breaks during their day. If breaks are necessary for a healthy work environment — and if employees are going to take breaks anyway — isn’t it wise for a company to offer positive internal ways for their employees to take a break?
If you want to provide exciting perks to your employees and make your company a better place in the process, why not show it? Coffee, kombucha, tea, beers, and cold-pressed juice on-tap can do just that.
It is a pretty safe bet that if you work in an office or any other professional setting, a major workplace perk is the bevy of refreshments offered to employees. And if you still haven’t fully embraced the office drinking culture, it’s totally fine. Every work culture is different and there are still plenty of non-alcoholic drinks to choose from.
Just remember that there is a new workforce out there! New employees are coming to expect the kind of treatment they see in their friend’s workplaces and in the media. So consider toasting to the trendiest office drinks and see how much employees will fall in love with their jobs!
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When you find yourself in need of wine, coffee, kombucha, tea, beer, or snacks for your office or event, shoot us a message!
This article was brought to you by Office Libations, your San Francisco Bay Area office coffee, keg delivery, and snack service. Delivering top local brands and kegs of cold brew coffee, kombucha, beer, and wine.
