![\"\"](\"https:\/\/freshcup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/MylkLabs_Tri_1015Support.jpg\")
\r\n\u201cNormally it\u2019s set out on the counter, you pour in hot water to cover the oats, and it\u2019s ready to be sold,\u201d says founder and CEO Grace Cheng. \u201cA lot of caf\u00e9s have implemented an extra fruit topping or an extra milk on top for extra flavor.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Cheng adds that most caf\u00e9s or coffee shops carry all three flavors, but there do seem to be regional variations in flavor preference.
\u201cOur Roasted Hazelnut and Dominican Cacao does better on the East Coast,\u201d she says. \u201cRoasted Almond and Himalayan Pink Salt does better nationwide. Toasted Coconut and Cassia Cinnamon is really loved by people in San Diego.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Cheng says Mylk Labs appeals to a trend-aware consumer who may not want the sugary, kid-oriented oatmeal cups already on the market.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cPeople are trying to be a little more health conscious, so [this is a] better-for-you type of option for people who would otherwise just get their coffee and go,\u201d she says. \u201cWe want customers to spend the most for every single trip.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
In addition to oatmeal cups, breakfast tacos and yogurt parfaits also make good grab-and-go options. Seattle-based Espresso Vivace serves Sunrise breakfast tacos.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cThey provided us with a steam table [to keep the tacos warm],\u201d says Kasey Frix, the company\u2019s general manager. \u201cThey deliver these great little breakfast tacos and a couple varieties of salsas that we keep chilled.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Vivace has also carried products from Molly\u2019s Grown to Eat for a couple of years. The company provides prepackaged food products to the Seattle and Portland, Oregon, areas. The typical shelf life for Molly\u2019s products is five days, but that\u2019s shorter at the establishments that use compostable containers. Co-owner Michelle Boline says Molly\u2019s already offers a yogurt parfait made with locally made yogurts, but it plans to increase its breakfast options in the near future.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n One of the selling points for Molly\u2019s Grown to Eat is that they guarantee the sale to caf\u00e9s that supply their products.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cWhile they\u2019re purchasing our product and putting it on the shelf, if it doesn\u2019t sell through, we credit them for the product and buy it back and donate it,\u201d Boline explains. \u201cThey\u2019re able to carry a really high-quality menu that they can feel good about.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Espresso Vivace also recently started carrying small bottles of immunity boost wellness shots from Vive Organic.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cThey have things like ginger and turmeric, and especially this time of year people love that kind of stuff,\u201d says Frix. \u201cThey\u2019re always looking for ways to ward off bugs.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Products like wellness shots or kefir shots do not take up much counter space and can bring in additional revenue.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n At Fresh Flours Bakery & Caf\u00e9 in Seattle, three types of premade paninis take the place of made-to-order sandwiches.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cWe don\u2019t have enough staff to make sandwiches, so paninis just made sense for us,\u201d says owner Etsuko Minematsu. \u201cWe make our own bread and assemble sandwiches [in advance].\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Fresh Flours also carries prepackaged Japanese-style sandwiches from Sandwich House TRES in nearby Bellevue. \u201cThey\u2019re very popular,\u201d Minematsu adds.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n At California-based Klatch Coffee, retail manager Holly Perry says they\u2019re experimenting with premade wraps for people who want a heartier item between meals.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cIt\u2019s maybe not a full lunch but it\u2019s something more than a snack box,\u201d she says.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Molly\u2019s also offers wraps, and Boline says they\u2019re reformulating the menu to bring in more international flavors.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cYou\u2019ll start seeing from us things like Asian fusion-type of wraps, maybe a fattoush salad,\u201d she says.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Coffee shops typically carry a selection of sweet muffins, cookies, or other baked goods, but they may not have as many savory options.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cThere\u2019s nothing for that mid-morning, late afternoon snack,\u201d says David Scharfman, co-owner\/general manager at Just the Cheese. \u201cThey\u2019re missing out on the ability to connect with a customer who at 3pm wants a pick-me-up. You don\u2019t want a muffin or a sandwich at 3pm.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Just the Cheese aims to fill that gap. Their crunchy baked cheese bars are similar to a granola bar, contain eight grams of protein, and carry a nine-month shelf life.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cPeople like that it\u2019s portable and durable,\u201d says Scharfman. \u201cIf they come in the morning, they can take it for a snack for later. I have one in my glove compartment.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n He adds that the product appeals to cheese lovers, college students, and those who want a low-carb snack that isn\u2019t pork rinds or nuts.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Vegetarian, vegan (also called \u201cplant-based,\u201d to reduce some of the stigmas around a vegan diet), and gluten-free products are another trend in the grab-and-go space.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cMore people are trying to stay away from dairy and gluten products,\u201d says Cheng.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Cheng\u2019s Mylk Labs and Flynn\u2019s Sun & Swell Foods both serve this segment of the market.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cI found it particularly hard when I was traveling to find grab-and-go food that would fit my diet,\u201d recalls Flynn. \u201cI was always in a situation where if a coffee shop happened to have a banana, I would eat that, but otherwise, typically I couldn\u2019t find anything I could eat in coffee shops or in airports. When we developed our products, we wanted this healthier on-the-go snack option.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Sun & Swell\u2019s snack and cookie bites and roasted nuts are vegan, kosher, gluten-free, and free from any added sugar. The main ingredients are fruits and nuts, and the products have a nine-month shelf life.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cWe use really simple, clean ingredients,\u201d says Flynn. \u201cThere\u2019s Customers who are less health-conscious might still grab a bagel or a muffin, but her products cater to those who want an alternative.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cWhat we have found is that when coffee shops will bring our products or a product like ours in, it\u2019s not replacing what somebody else would buy,\u201d says Flynn. \u201cIt\u2019s giving somebody who historically wouldn\u2019t have bought anything in the store\u2026something that they can buy.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n While many coffee shops purchase grab-and-go items from outside food vendors, Klatch Coffee assembles its own grab-and-go boxes with branded stickers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cWhen someone is sitting at their desk later that day and they grab their snack, they are reminded of you,\u201d says Perry.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Klatch\u2019s boxes include a hummus box and protein box with a hard-boiled egg, almonds, and cheese. Many of these ingredients are things the company already has on hand, so they\u2019re just packaging them in a new way.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cWe do egg sandwiches, so eggs were something we already had,\u201d says Perry. They make a nut milk in-house, so they already had almonds available. Klatch also sells a yogurt parfait using the house-made granola they sell separately.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Staff at each store assemble the boxes in the afternoons when things slow down.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cWe have to have the people there to make sure the store is staffed, so this is what they\u2019re doing during those downtimes,\u201d Perry says. She says the hardest part of starting the branded products was finding the right packaging.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Perry cites the cost savings and branding opportunities of assembling grab-and-go items in-house, but it does require some extra work for staff, so some owners prefer to buy packaged food from outside vendors.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \u201cThe owner of Vivace is always like \u2018I\u2019m asking my staff to make the best coffee; I don\u2019t want them having to toast a bagel,\u2019\u201d says Frix. \u201cHe wants us to stay focused on the coffee.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/freshcup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Mollys_Breaky_1015Support.jpg\")
\r\nImmunity Boosters<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/freshcup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Vive_1015_Support.jpg\")
\r\nPremade Paninis & Wraps<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/freshcup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/TRESSammies_1015_Support.jpg\")
\r\nSavory Snacks<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/freshcup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/JsutCheese_Mandy-Cai_1015Support.jpg\")
\r\nSpecialty Products<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/freshcup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/MylkLabs_SupportTWO_1015.jpg\")
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definitely been a trend towards clean-label products.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/freshcup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/SunSwell_1015_Support.jpg\")
\r\nBranded Grab & Go Boxes<\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/freshcup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/FreshFlours_BoxLabeled_1015Support.jpg\")
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