Kenco ignites category growth and captures next gen audience with launch of two new innovations

Introducing Kenco Espresso Concentrate and Kenco Matcha Latte

Leading coffee brand Kenco is set to invigorate the category by offering retailers a significant opportunity to drive sales and attract a younger audience with the launch of Kenco Matcha Latte and Kenco Espresso Concentrate, available from May.

Consumers are increasingly seeking new and convenient coffee shop-style experiences at home, inspired by the latest social media and flavour trends. Kenco is directly tapping into these trends and boosting the coffee category with the launch of two exciting new innovations, designed to capitalise on the significant growth seen in areas like matcha, where menu items have increased by 30% YoY and social media mentions have surged by 107.35% YoY^[1].

Kenco Espresso Concentrate is a versatile base and effortless solution for creating unlimited iced and hot coffee drinks at home. Available in Unsweetened, Mocha and Caramel variants, the launch builds on the rapid growth in iced coffee occasions, particularly among younger consumers, allowing them to customise café-style drinks in the comfort of their own kitchen. Iced lattes are now more popular than cappuccinos out of home, and younger drinkers are increasingly experimental with flavours and formats^[2]. Kenco Espresso Concentrate is designed to tap into this behaviour, offering a flexible, easy-to-use solution that can be served over ice in the summer or enjoyed hot in the cooler months.

Kenco is also introducing Kenco Matcha Latte, available in Vanilla and Strawberry variants, which retails at £2.99. With Kenco’s signature Creamer built in, consumers simply add hot or cold water for a smooth, frothy matcha latte in seconds. This launch is significant as it marks Kenco’s expansion into rapidly growing coffee adjacencies and its debut into matcha, opening up a new portfolio segment while upholding Kenco’s standards of quality and convenience.

Matcha has become a cultural phenomenon and the drink of the moment for Gen Z, now the fourth most popular iced drink among under-35 shoppers out of home^[3]. Recognising the challenge of preparing matcha at home due to specialist tools and ingredients, along with the lengthy preparation process, Kenco Matcha Latte removes these barriers, making on-trend matcha lattes easy and accessible for all shoppers.

Driven by consumer insight around the popularity of iced and trend-led drinks with a younger audience, these innovations create further consumption occasions and help retailers unlock incremental growth. The iced or hot capability of both Kenco Matcha Latte and Kenco Espresso Concentrate means they can support year-round sales, while the single-sachet and concentrate formats cater perfectly to shoppers seeking quick, easy-to-make drinks that still deliver a coffee shop-style experience without the fuss.

Maria Kabalyk, Head of Category & Shopper, Jacobs Douwe Egberts Peet’s, UK&IE, said: “Shoppers’ expectations of the coffee aisle are evolving fast. They are looking for more choice in formats, flavours and ways to enjoy iced and hot drinks at home, without compromising on quality or convenience. By bringing Kenco Matcha Latte and Kenco Espresso Concentrate to market, we’re investing in the long-term health of the category – creating new reasons to buy, new occasions and new ways for shoppers to trade up. These launches respond directly to what we’re seeing in shopper behaviour as well as what the next generation of coffee drinkers what from their brews and will help retailers capture additional value by keeping the fixture relevant and exciting for both existing shoppers and those discovering these drinks for the first time.”

Kenco Matcha Latte will be supported with a social focused campaign, going live from 10^th June for three weeks. Kenco Espresso Concentrate will be supported with an ATL campaign across YouTube, social media and in-store activations from 22^nd June running for eight weeks.

Kenco Matcha Latte (8 sachets, each 20.3g) will be available in Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s from May at a price of £2.99*. Kenco Espresso Concentrate (485ml) will be available in Tesco, Asda and Morrisons from May at a price of £5*

* The promotion price/mechanic constitutes a maximum resale price.

**Price is at the sole discretion of the retailers.