Why creamers are now a must-have for modern workplace coffee programs

As an OCS operator for more than 20 years, I have personally conducted hundreds of sales calls and coffee tastings in workplace settings. If I wasn’t selling, I was training a sales rep. One thing I could always count on was a great reaction from the people tasting the coffee. And, while our coffee tasted great, having Coffee Mate creamers, especially flavored creamers, ensured a successful meeting.

Trending: Personalized beverages

During “Workplace Coffee is Evolving,” a recent Automatic Merchandiser webinar (now available on demand), Arthur Siller, senior vice president of business development at Evergreen Refreshments, confirmed that bringing Coffee mate creamers to a sales appointment is especially effective today. Consumers want personalized beverages, just the way they want them — with maybe a touch of vanilla and a little hazelnut, for example, he said. Siller is still teaching what he learned 15 years ago.

Industry data makes it clear why Coffee mate creamers are the right choice for OCS operators.

A 2024 study, the US Foodservice Coffee and Tea Market Report, points to the importance of personalization. “60% of Gen Z and Millennials seek unique flavors for away-from-home coffees.” Pasquale LaRocca, senior brand marketing manager at Nestlé Professional Solutions, cited the data, noting that operators serving the workplace should think beyond the basics and focus on the need for differentiation and variety.

A creative approach

“Coffee mate is here to deliver flavors and creativity,” said LaRocca. “One of the things that we see in the changing office demographic is that people want personalized beverages. They love the idea of having a drink that is just the way they want it. While Nestlé Professional Solutions brings non-dairy Coffee mate to operators, we also represent Carnation Half & Half creamers. Since some consumers have a preference for dairy products, that option should also be available to the workplace as well.”

Success of the pump bottle

A 2025 Technomic Away from Home study shows the importance of going beyond black coffee: Whiteners are preferred. “73% prefer hot brewed coffee whitened,” LaRocca noted, adding that Coffee mate offers non-dairy creamers in multiple formats: powdered, single serve and 1.5-liter pump bottles, which offer 300 servings.

“Instead of stocking 300 single serves, they're putting out one bottle,” he said. “The pump bottle is designed with food safety in mind. It is designed for ease and efficiency, plus sustainability. The pumps offer excellent value. It is a big win for the operator, and it is a better choice for the consumer, which is why we are seeing growth in the pump format.”

The top two flavors by far are Coffee mate Original and French Vanilla. “Those are the core flavors, and a close third runner-up is Hazelnut,” LaRocca said. “Those three are extremely popular in the workplace, but we are seeing some of the newer segments growing as well. Our zero sugar and plant-based creamer are growing, but the three core flavors, Original, French Vanilla and Hazelnut are tried and true flavors that people enjoy at home and expect to see in their workplace.”

A new flavor

The newest flavor from Coffee mate demonstrates Nestlé Professional Solutions' commitment to creativity. It is a flavor that hits all the popular trends all at once.

“Caramel, Maple, Waffle, Bacon, Oat Milk creamer is the new flavor,” LaRocca said. “As you could imagine, the intent of this is to add some fun to our selections. It is not going to be our number one SKU, but it gives us a chance to put our creativity on display and help satisfy the consumer’s need for variety. Just like our season flavors, it offers a nice revenue opportunity for operators as they enhance the coffee drinking experience in the workplace.”

As for 2026 rotating flavors, Coffee mate will be featuring the following:

• Q1 – Snickers
• Q2 – Crème Brûlée
• Q3 – Pumpkin Spice
• Q4 – Peppermint Mocha

Making the right moves

Based on industry data, Nestlé Professional Solutions is making all of the right moves to enhance the coffee experience for consumers and help drive coffee consumption in the office.

A 2025 Datassential Away from Home Study reports that 97% of consumers agree that drinking coffee is an enjoyable experience. That's not surprising, but three other survey results should be of particular interest to operators — and offer strong reasons to go all-in on creamers and anything else that can elevate the OCS experience.

• 62% of employees said high-quality workplace coffee improves daily satisfaction¹
• 60% of office coffee drinkers are not satisfied with their current options²
• 48% said that poor coffee negatively impacts their perception of their employer³

Coffee mate – the right choice

According to LaRocca, there are multiple reasons why Coffee mate is the right choice for operators. “We deliver the formats that they need, the flavors they need, we deliver the variety, whether it's zero sugar, plant-based, and dairy options,” he said. “We are a brand that America trusts since 1961. Coffee mate is ultra convenient with a long shelf life, and it is widely available through many distribution channels.”

LaRocca also pointed to the importance and value of operator support available from Nestlé Professional Solutions. This includes the 50ct box, which was developed as a product merchandiser, but they also offer additional complimentary merchandising solutions for single-serve creamers and racks for two-, three- or five-pump dispensers.