Is the coffee plus alcohol trend a lasting direction for cafés?
CITY PRIMA, the specialty coffee brand under 7-Eleven, has partnered with French cognac house Hennessy to launch a Specialty Tipsy Latte Set. The set pairs specialty Ethiopian beans with a Hennessy V.S.O.P mini bottle so customers mix their own drink, and it goes on sale on December 14 at NT$199. 7-Eleven had already piloted a self-service cocktail zone in its Beijing store.
The day-coffee-night-alcohol model is spreading from chain brands to independent cafés, and beverage brands are moving toward coffee in return. Hennessy is a widely known French cognac house, which ties the launch to the broader liqueur coffee and French coffee tradition of pairing spirits with coffee. Whether the format lasts depends on consumer response beyond the novelty.
The cross-industry fusion of coffee and alcohol is becoming a new trend in the industry. CITY PRIMA, the specialty coffee brand under 7-Eleven, has partnered for the first time with the renowned French cognac house Hennessy to launch a "Specialty Tipsy Latte Set," pairing specialty Ethiopian beans with a Hennessy V.S.O.P mini bottle, allowing consumers to mix their own exclusive aromatic flavor. This is not 7-Eleven's first foray into the alcohol-coffee arena; its Beijing store had previously piloted a self-service cocktail zone. From chain brands to independent cafes, the day-coffee-night-alcohol model is sweeping across the entire coffee market, and beverage brands are also increasingly gravitating toward coffee. This article will walk you through the specifics of this collaboration, the product background, and the new trends sparked by the collision of coffee and alcohol.
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With the public's deepening understanding of coffee and the promotion of coffee culture, the direction of hit products in the coffee market has gradually become clear—the "coffee + alcohol" day-coffee-night-alcohol model has sparked a wave of enthusiasm in the industry. Whether chain coffee brands or independent coffee brands, they have been experimenting one after another. Cafes are now selling alcoholic drinks, and "coffee-alcohol" has become a new trend!
According to foreign media reports, 7-Eleven convenience stores, following the approach of specialty collaborations and flavor marriages, have led their specialty coffee brand CITY PRIMA to step outside the coffee circle for the first time, partnering with the globally renowned premium spirits brand Hennessy to launch a tipsy coffee-alcohol product! The collaborative product "Specialty Wine-Flavored Latte Set" will go on sale on December 14, with the tipsy set priced at NT$199.
7-Eleven is the largest chain of convenience stores in Japan, established in November 1973, and currently ranks first among global convenience store chains. 7-Eleven has been cultivating the CITY series brand for nearly 20 years.
Starting in 2018, CITY PRIMA specialty coffee was expanded into a brand-new brand, focusing on specialty beans and carefully selecting specialty coffee beans from Ethiopia to ensure the quality and flavor of specialty coffee. Over the years, it has continuously strengthened this specialty coffee positioning, driving CITY PRIMA specialty coffee's performance to climb year after year, with the best sales performance in stores located in office and residential areas.
Hennessy cognac was founded by Richard Hennessy in 1765 in the Cognac region of France. It ranks among the world's three major cognac brands and has a history of over 250 years to date. Hennessy has always enjoyed the reputation of being the royal court's official liquor.
In this collaboration, CITY PRIMA partners with Hennessy for the first time, bringing the "Specialty Tipsy Latte Set." The set consists of a Hennessy V.S.O.P mini wine bottle plus a CITY PRIMA hot specialty latte. In addition to the officially recommended mixing ratio—"pour one-quarter of the mini bottle into the specialty latte"—which best presents the tipsy state, consumers can also adjust the amount added according to their own preferences to create their very own specialty coffee wine aroma flavor.
Hennessy wine carries aromas of fruit and spices, which intermingle with the nutty aroma of the specialty latte, expanding the coffee flavor wheel. When poured, the fragrance of fresh vanilla and cinnamon from Hennessy V.S.O.P rushes forth; on the palate, the wine aroma and the rich nutty flavor of the specialty latte unfold layer by layer. Such a combination truly makes one want a cup in the cold season.
In fact, this is not the first time 7-Eleven convenience stores have ventured into alcoholic beverages. Previously, a store in Beijing had already piloted a self-service cocktail zone. This area offers four base spirits: Jameson Irish Whiskey, Kahlua Coffee Liqueur, Havana Rum, and Malibu Coconut Rum Liqueur. Customers simply purchase a cup of 7-Eleven Americano or Latte, pay an additional 3 yuan, and can choose a pump of their preferred base spirit to mix in.
This collaboration can be called a perfect combination of fashion and specialty. What kind of sparks will fly when specialty coffee meets premium spirits?
At present, not only are coffee brands continuously extending into the alcoholic beverage sector, but beverage brands are also continuously gravitating toward the coffee circle. Searching relevant keywords on delivery platforms, stores combining coffee and alcohol are not uncommon—there are cafes that sell alcohol, and also many bars that sell coffee.
Image source: Internet
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
