Three Ways to Improve Your Non-Carbonated Cold Beverage ProgramThree Ways to Improve Your Non-Carbonated Cold Beverage Program

When it comes to their food and beverage programs, Healthcare operators have always been required to satisfy a wide variety of needs and preferences. Now, new research indicates that the food and beverage program that a facility offers is becoming one of the most important factors for consumers when selecting a senior living or long-term care center.

According to Datassential’s recent Healthcare Foodservice Trends report, 42% of long-term care/senior-living residents say they “closely considered” or “somewhat considered” food options when selecting where to get care, and 81% of patients/residents have all their meals on-site, which means the need to offer a variety of beverages is more pressing than ever.

Nolan Andersky, Senior Brand Marketing Manager, Cold Beverage, at Nestlé Professional Solutions, says, “As more and more consumers move away from sugary soft drinks toward ‘better-for-you' beverages, we’re seeing innovative cold beverage options such as vitamin flavor infused waters taking their place and juice consumption is also on the rise.”

He goes on to say, “Just because CSDs are trending down, it doesn’t mean that people are turning away from cold beverages—in fact consumer spending has increased on beverages in foodservice.”

Andersky suggests that any operator who wants to step up their cold beverage program needs to consider three main factors: variety, flavor excitement, and operational labor.

What Beverage Variety Means Today

Out of home, consumers are looking for more than just refreshment from their cold beverages; they want variety. The following are four quintessential categories that are perfect for adding interest and rounding out any modern cold beverage menu.

“The Nestlé Vitality® system can dispense all four of these popular categories of cold beverage from one space-saving machine,” says Andersky, “and that makes it possible for healthcare operations to offer a diverse range of exactly what people are thirsty for.”   

The Flavor Revolution

Though fundamental cold beverage favorites such as orange and apple juice, classic lemonade and sweetened or unsweetened iced tea will never go out of style, the beverage industry has seen a big jump in flavor expansion as consumers look for both upscale flavors and innovative combinations.  

Featuring LTOs or simply rotating menus can be a great way to keep a beverage program exciting. According to Andersky, consumers are actively searching for new beverage flavors, “and that,” he explains, “is why we say the second requirement for a successful cold beverage program is flavor variety.”  

The broad Nestlé Vitality® beverage portfolio makes it easy to elevate your beverage program by featuring core cold beverages everyone loves alongside more complex flavor combinations. With a wide range to choose from, the Vitality® dispense system lets operators differentiate with exciting flavors including tropically inspired Passion Fruit Orange Guava Juice, Raspberry Lemonade, and Blueberry Pomegranate Açai Vitamin Flavor Infused Water, among countless other on-trend offerings.

The Practical Side of Cold Beverage Service

As much as a healthcare operator may want to be able to offer a broader range of cold beverage options, without the right system, giving staff, visitors, and residents appealing options can be a challenge.

Squeezing, mixing, and single serve can stocking are examples of common labor-intensive necessities that can keep operators from upgrading their cold beverage offerings. But according to Andersky, there are easier, more practical ways to provide fresh-tasting, flavorful cold beverages. “The secret,” he says, “is finding a reliable dispensed solution so that the system does all the work for you.”

State-of-the-Art Dispenser: Efficient, Dependable and Safe

The key to the Nestlé Vitality® Express® solution is the state-of-the-art dispenser with its low-maintenance, closed system. The Vitality® solution leads the industry in efficiency and safety because it has no hoses or tubes to trap bacteria. There’s no need for mixing either, since the Vitality® machine automatically blends concentrate and water perfectly every time and ensures speed of service by delivering up to five 5-oz. portions per minute under 45°F.

Another feature of this innovative Nestlé system is its patented FlavorFlip™ feature, which enables operators to change any or all of the cold beverages being dispensed—up to eight total—without the need for recalibrating the machine. Unlike other dispensers, there is no need to wait for product to be empty. Just remove the ExpressPak® and store it in the cooler until the next use, replacing it with your new beverage selection.

Says Andersky, “This feature is a game-changer for those operators who want to feature certain beverages for breakfast and then switch up their offerings for a different daypart.”

Because ExpressPaks® are designed to evacuate completely and consistently, there’s no waste of product and money, plus the easy-to-use system is backed by Nestle’s 24/7 assistance team for virtual help or in-person troubleshooting.  

For more information about the Nestlé Vitality® Express® solution, visit the Nestlé Professional Solutions website.

Source: https://datassential.com/resource/healthcare-foodservice-trends/