Wellness drinks are one of the fastest-growing areas of the UK beverage market. Matcha lattes, chai lattes, fresh juices, and smoothies have moved well beyond health food shops and speciality cafes. They're now on the menus of high street chains, hotel restaurants, and busy takeaways.
For catering businesses, that matters. If you're looking for high-margin cafe drinks in the UK, this is one of the most accessible places to start. The cost of ingredients is low, the preparation is simpler than most operators expect, and customer demand is already there.
This guide covers how to add wellness drinks to a cafe menu across three categories, including matcha, chai, and fresh juices and smoothies, along with the ingredients and equipment you need to serve them well.
Why Wellness Drinks Are Worth Adding to Your Menu
- Strong margins: the cost of ingredients is low relative to the selling price
- Broad appeal: matcha and chai attract customers who don't drink coffee, widening your audience
- Year-round versatility: most of these drinks work hot and cold, giving you a consistent menu across seasons
- Social media visibility: matcha's vivid green colour and other layered iced drinks photograph well, which helps with organic promotion
- Growing demand: UK matcha sales have grown in a short period; chai is one of the most-ordered drinks on UK delivery platforms
Matcha Lattes
What Is a Matcha Latte?
Matcha is a finely ground powder made from whole green tea leaves. A matcha latte combines matcha with steamed milk, either dairy or plant-based, and can be served hot or iced. Major chains have now launched dedicated matcha ranges. The demand is established and growing.
Customers are drawn to it as a coffee alternative. It contains caffeine, as well as L-theanine, an amino acid that gives a calmer, more sustained energy release without the jitteriness some people experience with coffee. It's high in antioxidants and has a strong association with health and wellness.
Why Matcha Works on a Commercial Menu
- Works hot and iced
- Popular with non-coffee drinkers, broadening your customer base
- Oat milk is a particularly popular pairing and appeals to plant-based customers
- The vivid green colour performs well on social media
- Carries a premium price point that customers are willing to pay
The Easiest Way to Make Matcha Lattes Consistently
Traditional matcha preparation involves careful sifting and whisking, which is fine at home, but impractical behind a busy counter. Using a Monin matcha syrup for cafes is the most practical solution, with consistency, speed, and no specialist technique required.
Monin Matcha Green Tea Syrup (70cl) delivers the earthy, aromatic flavour of matcha straight from the bottle. No whisking, no clumping, consistent every time.
- Use 15–20ml per hot serving
- Use 20–30ml for iced drinks and frappes
- Vegan-friendly, halal, and kosher certified
The Perfect Finish
For a clean, smooth pour, especially if you're also working with loose-leaf tea or matcha powder, a fine mesh strainer prevents any grit or particles from reaching the cup.
The Dhyana Tea and Coffee Strainer No.2 (8cm) fits comfortably over a standard cup or mug, is made from stainless steel, and is easy to clean at the end of service.
How to Make a Matcha Latte with Syrup
- Add 15–20ml of Monin Matcha Syrup to a warmed cup
- Steam your choice of milk - oat milk works particularly well
- Pour steamed milk over the syrup
- Finish with a light dusting of matcha powder
It takes under a minute to make and sells comfortably above the cost of a standard flat white.
Chai Lattes
What Is Chai?
Chai is black tea brewed with warming spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, clove, and black pepper. It is simmered with milk and sweetened to taste. It has been a staple drink across South Asia for generations and is now firmly mainstream in UK hospitality.
Chai lattes are among the most-ordered hot drinks across UK coffee chains and on delivery platforms. If your menu doesn't include one, it's a straightforward gap to fill.
Choosing Your Chai Product
There are three good options depending on your setup and customer base:
- Monin Chai Tea Syrup (70cl) - A quick, consistent liquid syrup with a dark, spiced flavour. Add to steamed milk for a chai latte, use over ice for an iced chai, or use as a base for a mocktail evening drink.
- Drink Me Chai Vanilla Chai Latte Powder (1kg) - One of the most popular vanilla chai latte powder catering options available. A powdered blend of aromatic spices, natural vanilla flavouring, skimmed milk, and sweetened black tea. Add 20g to 200ml of hot water or milk and stir, no specialist equipment needed. The vanilla flavour makes it sweeter and more approachable for customers new to chai.
- Zuma Spiced Chai (1kg) - A strong choice if you're looking for a spiced chai catering option that leans traditional. A lightly spiced blend with cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom, closer to the classic chai flavour profile. Better suited to customers who are already familiar with chai and prefer something less sweet. Works well in high-volume cafe environments.
Tip: Offering both a vanilla chai and a spiced chai gives customers a choice and adds a point of difference that most basic menus don't have.
Chai Serving Ideas
Here are some straightforward iced chai latte recipes for cafes and coffee shops, along with other popular chai serves:
| Serve | How to Make |
|---|---|
| Chai Latte | 20–25ml syrup or 20g powder, 200ml steamed milk, dusted with cinnamon. |
| Iced Chai Latte | Chai base over ice with cold milk, or blended for a thicker texture. |
| Dirty Chai | Shot of espresso added to a hot or iced chai latte. |
| Chai Mocktail | Monin Chai Syrup, sparkling water, orange, and ice. |
Serving Chai the Traditional Way
Presentation can be as much of a selling point as the drink itself, particularly in Indian restaurants, South Asian cafes, or any venue that wants to stand out. Knowing how to serve chai in an Indian restaurant or traditional setting goes beyond the recipe.
Our Traditional Indian Chai Tea Glass (150ml) is a classic straight-sided traditional chai glass of the style used for chai across the Indian subcontinent. Serving chai in these rather than a standard mug adds an authentic touch that customers notice.
The Traditional Clay Matka Cup for Desi Tea is a traditional clay matka cup for tea that takes it a step further. The porous clay subtly enhances the flavour of the tea and retains warmth. For customers who grew up drinking chai this way, it's immediately recognisable. A genuinely different serve that makes the drink memorable.
Fresh Juices and Smoothies
Fresh juices and smoothies round out a wellness drinks offering. Customers associate them with quality and health; they photograph well, and when the right equipment is in place, they carry excellent margins.
Equipment: Juicers
For high-volume fresh juice, the Robot Coupe J100 Ultra Automatic Centrifugal Juicer is an essential tool.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Motor | 1000W, built for continuous use. |
| Speed | 3000rpm, juice oxidises slowly, retaining more flavour. |
| Feed Chute | 79mm diameter, takes whole fruits and vegetables with no pre-cutting required. |
| Noise Level | Low enough to use in front of customers. |
| Pulp Collection | Continuous ejection with no stopping needed to empty the machine. |
Ideal for cafes, juice bars, hotels, and any operation where fresh juice is a regular part of the menu. Read more about the Robot Coupe J100 Ultra Automatic Centrifugal Juicer here to find out why it’s one of the best commercial juicers available.
For occasional citrus juicing, the Lacor Stainless Steel Lever Manual Juicer is a simple, durable manual juicer for oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits. Good for breakfast menus or where fresh citrus juice is needed occasionally rather than at volume.
Equipment: Blenders for Smoothies
Blendtec Blenders are available in the UK from Cooksmill and are among the best in their category for busy food service operations. These blenders are ideal for making smoothies and feature:
- Sound enclosures on some models to keep noise to conversational levels, important in customer-facing environments
- 42 preprogrammed blend cycles with the option to create and store custom programmes
- Built for continuous, intensive commercial use
- Range includes different models and compatible jugs to suit different operation sizes
Packaging for Takeaway Juices and Smoothies
Customers choosing a wellness drink expect packaging that looks the part. Clear, clean packaging lets the product speak for itself:
- Gourmet Clear Plastic Smoothie Cups 12oz/300ml (Pack 50) - The right smoothie cups for takeaway make a difference to how the drink is perceived. These transparent cups are well-suited to smoothies, iced drinks, and fresh juices
- Plastic Juice Bottles - Available in a range of sizes for individual juice serves, multipacks, and chilled retail.
Wellness Drinks with Cooksmill
Whether you're adding a matcha latte to a cafe menu, serving chai in a traditional clay matka cup, or investing in a commercial juicer for a breakfast operation, Cooksmill has everything you need in one place.
We stock the full range of ingredients, equipment, and serveware covered in this guide, from Monin syrups and chai powders to Blendtec blenders, Robot Coupe juicers, and traditional chai serveware. If you're not sure where to start, matcha and chai are the lowest-effort additions with the clearest customer demand.
