Finlay's to open multi-million-pound cold brew coffee facility in Hull
The new cold brew coffee site is being built next to Finlays’ tea decaffeination facility in Hull and close to its tea and coffee facility in Pontefract, West Yorkshire.
It will focus on supplying big beverage brand owners with a full cold brew coffee solution, including ready-to-drink and bag-in-box formats.
Roastery
Finlay’s new facility will produce pure cold brew coffee solutions, starting with high-quality, sustainably sourced coffee beans that are freshly roasted at its roastery in nearby Pontefract, West Yorkshire. Finlays will be able to create tailored blends which are steeped in ambient temperature filtered water in a reduced oxygen environment. The cold brew is triple filtered and gently extracted using a bespoke, gravity fed extraction technology that involves no heat or pressure.
The company said this gentle extraction process will preserve the character and full-bodied flavour of the coffee and achieve consistency.
Forecast growth
Andrew Martin, group head of business development at Finlays said: “While cold brew is already extremely popular in the US and Japan, the market is emerging in the UK and Europe. Looking at the forecast growth for this sector, there is a huge opportunity for brands to lead in this space in both retail and Out of Home. Our new facility will help these brands tap into the exciting cold brew market.”
Cold brew is a key trend among young consumers with 80% of Millennials finding cold brew appealing, and 40% of Gen Z consumers preferring their coffee in chilled ready-to-drink formats.
Martin added: “Cold brew is seen as a more premium alternative to traditional iced coffee. Cold brew is made by slowly steeping coffee in ambient temperature water to extract the best flavours from the bean, creating a full-bodied, rich flavour that is less acidic and bitter than hot brew. Its complex flavour profile and natural smoothness also means it offers a rich sensory experience without the need for additional ingredients”.
