Australia is a coffee-loving nation – and in contrast to Europe and the US, the vast majority (80 to 90 per cent) of coffees sold in Australia’s out of home market are made with milk.

There’s also been a recent reinvigoration of the coffee category with the rise of artisanal flavoured iced coffee options made with milk. Strawberry, banana and matcha iced lattes are just some of the flavours which are now trending in inner city markets – and with consumer demand steadily increasing, they’re terrific additions to the menu.

With milk such a key ingredient in most of the coffees you serve, it’s imperative to choose a trusted brand which you can rely on for consistent quality and performance.

Long-established milk brands like Dairy Farmers, Pura and Masters have built their reputations on reliability and quality assurance and will ensure a great-tasting, refreshing beverage that’s sure to keep customers coming back.

And if your business is keeping up with current trends and selling large coffees consisting of two espresso shots plus milk, you’ll also need a blend of beans that’s strong enough for the coffee flavour to stand out.

Today there’s more choice than ever in the type of beans you can use. Coffee categories have grown to encompass organic, single origin, fair trade and cold brewed, and you can choose from local boutique roasters as well as long-established brands backed by multinationals. So how do you go about finding the right choice for your customers?

While consumer tastes should be the driver of your choice of blend, these may vary depending on where you are in the country. The local demographic around your business neighbourhood should play a role in your choice of beans. Industry chefs have seen that particularly in inner-city areas, there’s an increasing expectation among the hipster customer base for sustainably sourced and/or organic coffee, with these certifications increasingly used as marketing tools. Consumers today are seeking more information about where their food and beverage choices come from and how they’re grown and this also applies to coffee.

Cold brew coffee, which has grown in prominence in recent years, leaches flavour from the beans to produce a chemical profile different from conventional brewing methods. The result is a smoother, softer flavour than regular espresso – and this is particularly suitable for coffee served cold over ice, which is becoming more and more popular over the summer months.