Flavored syrups have played an integral role in the growth of specialty coffee. In fact, I believe the industry would not have moved forward without them. It all started with the vision of the late Brandy Brandeburger, a retired employee of General Foods. By taking a cue from mixology, he believed the market for the espresso beverages served from carts in Seattle a dozen years ago could be expanded. He experimented in his kitchen in Portland, Ore., adding flavors like hazelnut and vanilla to the lattés he made on his small home machine. He encouraged the new entrepreneurs of coffee to incorporate these flavors, and voilá: the signature drinks of specialty coffee were born. Since then, syrups have played a major role in most coffee operations worldwide. Many purists still avoid them like the plague, not wanting to taint the flavor of the particular coffee they enjoy. But consumers new to coffee-and especially young coffee drinkers-take to their almond, hazelnut and vanilla lattés like kittens take to milk.

The Sweet History of Syrup
Gourmet flavored syrups have been around a lot longer than American consumers may realize. These syrups originated in Italy, and most of us know them by the term "Italian syrups." Syrups have been produced in Europe for years-and are still quite popular there-but tell an Italian to put a syrup flavor in his morning cappuccino and you will get a very strange look. Syrups in Europe are used primarily as additions to sodas and toppings for desserts

Many people feel that syrups are the reason Seattle became the espresso capital of North America. Cart and café operators who understood the potential of syrups became very creative and produced drinks their customers had yet to experience. Before Brandenburger's observations and research, one could only find espresso in places like North Beach in San Francisco, Little Italy in New York or maybe an authentic Italian restaurant. Few would dispute syrups' role in changing the way Americans think about Italian-style coffee.

The irony, however, is that most syrup served in America is not Italian at all. Monin-a French syrup manufacturer-has had a significant impact on the United States market, but many other foreign syrup companies haven't been able to make a serious mark on America. I visited a prominent Italian syrup company recently, and the company's president said one of the main reasons for this is because shipping-especially glass bottles-can be burdensome in a market as price-driven s ours. The other major reason is that many foreign companies don't understand the American market and mentality, and they have difficulty competing with homegrown companies.

Why The Popularity
Americans have become quite discriminating and many consumers are no longer satisfied with the commonplace. Today, many people are becoming aware of syrups- possibilities and are experimenting with different flavors in their local cafés. Who wouldn't choose a flavored latté any day over a pot of brewed canned coffee?   

Multiple Label Choices
How do you choose a good syrup, and what makes one better than another? In the specialty syrup market, sugar content and flavor concentration are the determining factors. Solids content is rated in brix. This rating, along with the type of sweetener used, reveals a lot about a syrup. Some people say syrups that use an all-natural juice base are best; others prefer syrups flavored with pure cane sugar. The higher the brix level and concentration of flavor, the less syrup you need to flavor a recipe. You should determine how you will use the syrup and learn what it was formulated for before making a choice. For example, is your syrup formulated for hot drinks, cold drinks, baking, or dessert preparations?

An industry expert tells me there are over 50 syrup manufacturers in the market. Of this number, most are regional or private label. Stearns & Lehman is the largest producer of private-label syrup and is sold under a multitude of brand names. Other major players in the syrup industry are Torani, Stirling, Monin, DaVinci, Stearns & Lehman/Dolce. Oscar's. Big Train, Capriccio, Boyd's, and VCI. It has been my observation that most of these major brands are excellent.

Find out what types of marketing support each company offers, then compare flavor choices, availability, and shipping costs. Find out why each company thinks its syrup is the best. Blind taste one against another. Portion controls and recommended amounts vary from brand to brand, so consider this-along with flavor and how each will hold up in milk and espresso drinks-when choosing.

Flavors Galore
Most companies have lines of 30 to 50 different flavors to choose from. The flavors that generally sell best year-round are vanilla, hazelnut, Irish cream, and amaretto. Certain flavors enjoy seasonal popularity, and you should ask your suppliers for their advice and experiences concerning these. Berry flavors are quite popular and will merchandise best in hot climates and in the summer months. Winter months may find flavors such as butter rum, eggnog and peppermint leading in popularity.

Each company in this intensely competitive market is constantly researching and developing new flavors. Some of the latest entries are tiramisu, melon, kiwi, black currant, lemon meringue, root beer, white chocolate mocha, and cranberry. One of the most novel marketing innovations is the introduction of "co-branding." Torani has partnered its long history with that of an established, renowned confectioner, Brown & Haley, to produce a flavor named after its famous candy, Almond Roca(r). We will probably see more "co-branded" flavor concepts in the future.

Marketing Your Syrups
There are many ways to merchandise syrups. Be aware that many brands come in two or three sizes. The smaller sizes will allow your customers to try many different flavors at home for a minimal investment. If you have an espresso machine, the best way to introduce customers to flavors is through your own drink menu.

Other methods of marketing include in-store sampling, cross-merchandising, creating signature drinks, designing creative signage, printing bottleneck recipe cards, and offering the smaller bottles in coffee-based gift baskets. Specialty syrups on your shelves yield high profit margins and make a beautiful display. With proper lighting, the various colored bottles will achieve an almost neon sign allure in a product area. You will need to educate yourself and your employees about the many uses of syrups, but if you experiment and get creative, you will discover that gourmet flavored syrups are not just for coffee and sodas.

The Many Uses
Bakers love specialty syrups. They have found many uses for them in their kitchens and appreciate how they enhance the moisture of their creations. Chefs use them in salad dressings, vinaigrettes and salsas, and they work well for glazes on meats and vegetables.

You can also blend various fruits, juices, and yogurts with syrups to create great tasting smoothies. Do not overlook the many uses of syrups as dessert toppings, contributing to both visual and taste appeal.

In coffee retail the possibilities are endless-flavored lattés, cappuccinos, steamers, Italian sodas, and granites are just a few of the choices. In some specialty coffee markets flavored coffee beans are still popular. By adding syrup to brewed coffee, you can avoid the problem of contamination to your brewer and grinder from the extracts on the flavored beans, while offering an even greater variety of flavor options to your customers.

Remember that two or more flavors can be combined to create an infinite number of taste combinations. Differentiate yourself by creating signature drinks using various combinations of syrups. The only limit is your imagination.

What's New
While it's no the newest wave in the specialty syrup ocean, the sugar-free variety has recently gained significant momentum. Almost every competitive syrup company produces a sugar-free line, and since consumers have become aware of this alternative, the demand has produced a huge market.

The major mission of syrup companies is to innovate, crate new flavors, strive to improve quality, and find new and artistic uses for their product. Syrups are a fun, versatile tool for specialty coffee retailers. They've made their mark in our industry, and they seem to be here to stay.