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FuturistU > Tactics > The 18 Megatrends > Module 4 / 7

The Convergence Megatrends

Instructor: Armida Ascano
Virtual & Augmented Technology
Download the Virtual & Augmented Technology Trend Report
Convergence is a Pattern of Opportunity based on hybrid business ideas. It's all about associative thinking, and what happens when seemingly unrelated areas combine forces.

The Megatrends within this module include Hybridization, Co-Creation, and Multisensation. In terms of consumer desire, it all boils down to a need for something new and interesting. How could you experiment with adjacent industries to offer something truly unique?
Related Trend Report: Virtual & Augmented Technology
Workshop Questions:
1. How could you reconfigure your product to delight the senses?
2. How could you more deeply involve consumers in your offering?
3. What's one outside industry you'd like to tap for inspiration?
Get Trend Hunter Dashboard

Featured Insights

Customized Café
Self-serve cafes place customization entirely in the hands of consumers
Implications - Taking the cafe concept to a much more curated level, brands are flipping the tables and turning consumers into hands-on baristas. The self-serve model not only increases brand-consumer engagement, it also appeals to discerning coffee drinkers who are very particular about the customization of their java. By giving consumers a chance to craft their version of a perfect beverage, these cafes allow for a truly personalized experience without any interference or potential misinterpretation by staff.
Workshop Question - How can you concede some control to put brand experience more into the hands of consumers?
5.4
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends

Insights by Trend Hunter AI

Electrolyte Coffee
Brands are creating RTD and ready-to-mix coffees infused with electrolytes
Trend - Coffee brands are infusing their convenience-focused coffee products with electrolytes. These drinks are positioned as healthier alternatives to regular coffees while being served in a time-saving format. The infusion of electrolytes has been shown to improve hydration and reduce jitters.
Workshop Question - How could your brand expand its consumer base with alternative versions of its products or services?
7.3
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Iced Brew
Appliance brands offer coffee machines with convenient iced options
Trend - Coffee machines designed to brew iced coffee alongside standard options are becoming more popular. These multi-functional appliances help users reduce daily expenses, while still allowing them their everyday convenient indulgences.
Workshop Question - How could your brand help its customers save money as they deal with inflation?
8.2
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Blended Coffee
Fruit-infused coffee is gaining popularity with TikTok content creators
Trend - Social media creators are blending real fruits into coffee to add both flavor and nutritional value. These blended coffees are easy to create, offer a wide range of flavor options, and offer health benefits over traditional coffee. This trend is gaining popularity with consumers on TikTok.
Workshop Question - How could your brand create high-benefit products or services for younger audiences, noting that low-investment products receive notably more interest?
6.7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Automotive Brew
Portable coffee makers designed for car cupholders are reaching the broader market
Trend - Coffee makers are being created in a compact, low-power form factor fit for in-car use. By connecting to the lighter or USB slot in a car, the coffee makers brew fresh coffee in the car. The purpose of these coffee makers is to be both time and cost-effective compared to purchasing coffee.
Workshop Question - How could your brand factor in the return of the commute when crafting new products or services?
6.9
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Eco Coffee
Coffee brands offer sustainable at-home brewers and machines
Trend - Coffee brands have focused their sustainability goals to the pods and coffee grounds themselves, but some brands are now making machines and brewers that are also eco-friendly. Brewers are being made with low-power functions, recycled (and recyclable) materials, and extended lifespans.
Workshop Question - How could your brand better balance customers' desire for sustainable and convenient products?
7.9
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Regenerative Coffee
Brands are employing biodynamic farming methods to reduce the impact of coffee
Trend - Coffee brands are implementing regenerative farming practices to ensure that coffee farming has a positive impact on the surrounding environment. These farming methods result in cleaner coffee blends while improving animal welfare, worker rights, and surrounding ecosystems.
Workshop Question - How can your brand improve its attraction to the modern consumer by adopting environmentally or socially-positive practices?
7.6
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Protein Coffee
Brands are infusing coffee with protein to deliver a new kind of functional drink
Trend - A number of coffee brands have begun offering ready-to-drink products that combine coffee and protein. These functional beverages feature the performance-focused benefits of both ingredients and deliver them in a single format that prioritizes taste.
Workshop Question - How could your brand combine elements to create a more convenient product?
5.9
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Tactile Brewing
Coffee brands are catering to artisanal tastes with new manual coffee makers
Trend - An increasing number of brands are offering cordless coffee making tools that require manual operation. This is most notably captured by the recent rise of lever espresso machines and hand-crank bean grinders, both of which promise to reward users' physical labor with barista-quality espresso.
Workshop Question - How could your brand better appeal to craft-conscious consumers?
6.9
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
DIY Iced
Brands make consuming iced coffee at home easier
Trend - Coffee brands are releasing concentrates, pods and instant coffee options that make the process of making iced coffee at home much easier. These at-home options are quicker while promising high-quality flavors.
Workshop Question - How could your brand balance convenience with quality?
7.4
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Compostable Capsule
Coffee pods are made compostable to cut down on waste
Trend - While singular coffee pod machines are popular in homes and offices, their use of throwaway pods is wasteful and negatively contributes to global pollution. Now, more brands are releasing pods that can be composted and therefore cut down their impact on the environment.
Workshop Question - How is your brand effectively prioritizing sustainability?
6.8
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends