Single-Serve Coffee in RestaurantsSingle-Serve Coffee in Restaurants

Single-serve coffee is surging in popularity. What was once a niche in the coffee business has become an important segment not only in retail, but in foodservice. Some restaurants are finding new ways to present single serve coffee to satisfy a growing audience of coffee-loving consumers.

According to the Chicago-based research firm Mintel, the single-cup coffee market has expanded from $103 million in 2007 to an estimated nearly $1.8 billion in 2012. “In a way, single-cup coffee’s growth shows that Americans are dedicated to the coffee category, especially to fueling their personal preferences for brands, roasts, flavors, and serving types,” Mintel’s Coffee U.S. 2012 report noted.

Not only are Americans dedicated to the coffee category in...