Have you stopped to wonder why our high streets are seeing a revolution take place with coffee shops appearing everywhere? Is it possible that we are embracing a café culture like never before?
Our spending within the hot drink market place is a whopping £6.3 billion. Yep, you read it correctly, £6.3 billion….. And the desire for delicious, popular brands of hot drinks is coming into our homes, with more and more of us turning up the steam on our coffee machines to create the perfect froth in the comfort of our kitchens.
When you take a moment to think about the emotion behind our café culture, it’s really not surprising. I am not sure about you but my desire for hot drinks changes according to the time of day. To kick start my day, there’s nothing better then a good old cup of instant strong, black coffee, but as the day progresses, I am wanting something a little more discerning. The start of October sees my desire for hot chocolates increase. With those cold, darker days, when the curtains are drawn at dinner time, rather than 10pm, I want something comforting and relaxing, to help me unwind and snuggle up. There is nothing better than being warm and cosy inside while I wrap my hands around a mug of steaming chocolate, and embrace the evening ahead.
Here in the UK, 7 million of us consume hot chocolates in our homes, with this increasing to a massive 17 million when Mr Frost appears. Unlike the powered hot chocolates, a true hot chocolate contains endorphins and antioxidants, which when consumed, helps increase blood flow and oxygen to your brain, helping you think better and also boosting your mood at the same time. These are all essential when doing last minute Christmas shopping which is what is on the calendar now!
So, give yourself a boost, and make sure you have a supply of your favourite hot chocolate in the cupboard this winter.