Order within 12h 25m 32s for delivery tomorrow
A drinks menu that has not changed in a while is a missed opportunity. Customers notice when a venue keeps the same offering season after season, and a few well-chosen additions can increase average spend, attract new customers, and give your team something fresh to talk about. The good news is that switching up your drinks menu does not require new equipment, significant investment, or a full menu reprint. Here are six practical ways to expand your drinks offer using products you can order today.
1. Add Iced Teas and Fruit Coolers
One of the fastest and most profitable additions you can make, particularly from spring through summer. Simply Iced Tea and Cooler Syrups are available in ten flavours — Peach, Passion Fruit & Lemon, Watermelon Iced Green Tea, Dragon Fruit & Mango, Pink Lemonade, Tropical, Elderflower Lemonade, Strawberry Basil & Cucumber, Raspberry & Pineapple, and a sugar-free Peach option. Each 1 litre bottle costs £8.75 and makes approximately 33 servings at 30ml per drink.
To make: fill a 20oz cup with ice, add 4 pumps (30ml) of syrup, top with cold water and stir. Selling at £3.00–£4.00 per drink, the margin is significantly higher than a standard espresso drink.
2. Introduce Flavoured Lattes with Coffee Syrups
Flavoured lattes are a consistently strong seller and one of the simplest menu additions. A single pump of syrup added to a standard latte transforms it into something customers will order by name and return for. Simply Syrups are available in over 60 flavours including the café classics — vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, and gingerbread — alongside seasonal options like pumpkin spice, toffee apple, speculoos, and cinnamon bun.
Start with two or three flavours that suit your customer base. Vanilla and caramel are safe choices that most customers recognise. Hazelnut and gingerbread work well as seasonal additions in autumn and winter. Use a pump dispenser on each bottle for consistent dosing and fast service.
3. Build a Proper Hot Chocolate Range
Many venues serve hot chocolate as an afterthought — a single powder option with no variation. A small upgrade can turn it into a genuine menu highlight. Our hot chocolate range includes Cadbury, Galaxy, Zuma Dark Vegan, Van Houten, and Summit options in milk, dark, and white chocolate variants, giving you the flexibility to offer more than one style.
Consider offering a standard hot chocolate alongside one premium option — a dark chocolate version or a flavoured variant using a pump of orange, mint, or caramel syrup. Adding a garnish option (whipped cream, chocolate shavings, or a biscuit) gives customers a reason to spend more without requiring any extra equipment.
4. Add Shmoo Milkshakes
Shmoo milkshakes are a straightforward addition for venues that want to serve thick shakes without investing in a commercial blender. The Mix-in-Cup system blends directly in the serving cup in under 30 seconds — no separate jug, no mess, no cleaning between drinks. Available in chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, banana, raspberry & white chocolate, and chocolate mint.
A Shmoo starter kit includes the mixer, cups, scoops, and an initial powder selection — everything needed to add milkshakes to your menu from day one. Milkshakes have strong appeal for younger customers and as a dessert drink option after food.
5. Introduce Cold Foam Drinks
Cold foam has become a mainstream café menu item after years as a specialty trend. It requires no additional equipment if you already have an espresso machine — skimmed milk frothed cold using a handheld frother produces the thick, spoonable foam that sits on top of iced drinks. Added to an iced latte or cold brew, it creates a layered drink that looks and tastes premium.
A flavoured cold foam — made by blending a small amount of vanilla or caramel syrup into skimmed milk before frothing — is one of the easiest ways to add a standout menu item. Combine with our espresso beans and serve over ice for a drink that competes with any high street chain offering.
6. Expand Your Tea Range
Tea is often underserved on café menus — a standard breakfast tea bag and not much else. Stocking two or three speciality options gives customers a genuine choice and positions your venue as more considered. Our tea range includes Teapigs and Birchall, covering breakfast, earl grey, peppermint, chamomile, green tea, chai, and redbush in a range of formats including individually enveloped and biodegradable temple bags suited to table service.
A chai latte is one of the easiest additions — brew a strong chai bag, add a pump of honeycomb or vanilla syrup, and top with steamed milk. It takes the same time as a standard latte and appeals to customers who want something warm and interesting without coffee.
Where to Start
The most practical approach is to add one item from each category — an iced drink, a flavoured latte, and an upgraded hot chocolate — and see how your customers respond before expanding further. All of the products above are available from ADS Coffee Supplies with free next-day delivery on orders over £69, so you can test new additions quickly without committing to large quantities.
Browse our full syrups range, hot chocolate powders, Shmoo milkshake products, and tea range, or contact us for advice on building out your drinks menu.
