Consumers can now create a café-style beverage such as a cappuccino whenever and wherever is convenient for them.
The company said the development is in response to the growing coffee market, and a worldwide trend of instant coffee mixes.
It also said Southeast Asia accounts for the biggest growth share: By 2022, the value of instant coffee mixes is expected to grow 37%.
Consumer research
FrieslandCampina Kievit said it conducted focus group discussions in Indonesia and the Philippines to gain insights into consumers’ underlying reasons for choosing instant coffee mixes.
In Southeast Asia, instant has long been popular for everyday consumption. Comparing instant versus out-of-home coffee experiences, focus group participants concluded that the advantages of instant – practical, convenient, affordable, and standardized taste – outweighed the disadvantages.
When it comes to foam, the focus groups showed clear variation in target groups.
Coffee with foam was preferred by millennials in their 20s and 30s, who like to drink coffee for social purposes while meeting up with friends. Coffee without foam was preferred by older males in their 40s and 50s, who drink coffee for the purposes of ‘getting things done.’
As this millennial audience grows and ages, FrieslandCampina Kievit developed foaming creamers tailored to their wants and needs.
New product variants
Vana-Cappa X960 offers white and crème color, what it says is an intense rich flavor and stable and spoonable foam, while Vana-Cappa X760 provides a milky, creamy flavor and ‘velvety’ foam.
Vana-Cappa 22W provides a strong roasted coffee flavor and sweetness, and creates fine foam, while Vana-Cappa 25T provides a milky flavor, creamy color, and stable foam for consumers wanting firmer textures.
Commenting on the study and the resulting portfolio, Luc Steenwelle, product group manager beverages SEAP, said the focus groups were conducted with the explicit purpose of creating products that consumers want and need.
“There is a real need among consumers and our clients for innovative and premium foaming concepts to expand the market, inspired by a growing out-of-home channel that is only projected to grow in the future,” Steenwelle said.