Abstract #134

# 134
The potential impact of a novel canned latte on the North American dairy products market.
K. Alward*1, J. Bohlen1, 1University of Georgia, Athens, GA.

More than 80% of the US adult population enjoys coffee in the morning or a variation of it. From iced coffee to frappuccinos to lattes, there’s something for everyone. LaColombe revolutionized the typical cafĂ© when they started putting their lattes on draft. Serving lattes out of a tap has been a huge hit with customers who are intrigued by the unique process. Pasteurized milk is combined with cold-pressed expresso and emitted from a tap, which creates a consistency less like a coffee drink and more akin to a frothy beer. The company then took their novel creation one step further by being the first company in North America to sell their draft lattes in a can. Unlike competitors who sell similar products, LaColombe invented a way to create the froth that lattes are known for when the can is opened, something that has never been done before. This patented technique infuses nitrous oxide into the bottom of the can via a grommet during the production process before selling. Then, when the customer pops the top on the can, the valve stretches, allowing a pin to enter and add the nitrous oxide. This new process features the only FDA approved valve that has been found suitable to interact with food. This valve keeps the latte from being exposed to air until the moment it is opened, which triggers the nitrous oxide influx, and thus creates the froth. Besides this, the can also has a unique plastic attachment to the top of the can, which protects the lip of the can and the consumer’s mouth from coming into contact with a contaminated surface. Upon entry onto the market, this product has seen great success due to the increasing demand for coffee, the decreasing demand for other caffeinated alternatives, and the fact that lattes are the #1 ordered coffee beverage in cafes. Not only this, but it will allow another product onto the market that utilizes fluid milk, the consumption of which has been steadily declining. This patented new technique will revolutionize the coffee industry and allow the dairy industry yet another unique product onto the market with the hopes of increasing dairy consumption in the North America.

Key Words: novel food technology, canned latte, dairy product consumption