Medford, OR, July 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ask Claire Mealy, The Human Bean’s Senior Manager of Operations Services & Innovation, about the biggest shift she’s seen in specialty coffee, and she’ll take you back to 1998.
That’s when The Human Bean first opened, when the menu was simpler and the idea of a drive-thru selling Matcha Lemonades or Protein Cold Brew would have seemed like something out of science fiction.
“To think there was a time when we didn’t have Matcha, Chai, Cold Foam, Sweet Cream, Dirty Sodas or Energy Drinks. It’s wild,” says Mealy.
She believes it’s the crux of where specialty beverage culture is heading: away from the idea that a coffee brand only needs to serve coffee, and toward something far more expansive — a beverage experience that meets customers where they are, with whatever they’re craving, and however they want to customize it.
Stacking, Layering, and Making It Unique
Today’s customers don’t just want a drink. They want something built to specs, tailored to the moment, and loaded with their preferences. Mealy calls this “beverage stacking,” and she sees it as one of the most important evolutions in how people relate to their beverages.
“Consumers now have the option to customize their drinks to be exactly what they need that day or moment,” she says, whether that means blending protein into cold foam, going sugar-free with syrups and Bright® Energy, or layering fruit purees for texture and flavor.
The Joy of the Unexpected
Great beverage innovation, according to Mealy, often starts with a combination that shouldn’t work on paper.
“To innovate, you have to be curious about mixing items that shouldn’t be mixed,” she says. “The best feeling is doing a blind taste test and having the tasters love the finished drink, but be so confused about the combination.”
Case in point: The Human Bean’s Chai Chai Baby. Equal parts chai, oat milk, and cold brew, it’s a drink that raised eyebrows in development and won hearts at launch. Nobody could quite describe it. Everyone wanted another sip. That’s the sweet spot The Human Bean keeps chasing.
Making More Moments
Specialty coffee brands that diversify their menus aren’t just selling more drinks. They’re becoming part of more moments in a customer’s day.
“We are not a place where consumers can only get coffee or caffeine anymore,” says Mealy. “Diversification helps specialty coffee brands own more moments. It’s the morning energy, the afternoon refreshment, the post-workout recovery, and the nighttime wind-down.”
What’s Coming Next
Mealy and The Human Bean are already thinking about 2027 and beyond. Her forecast? Customization becomes identity, and globally inspired flavors become the norm rather than the novelty.
“The future of specialty coffee drinks will revolve around customization, globally inspired flavors and textures, and turning everyday drinks into a personalized, experience-driven routine,” she says.
For The Human Bean, it’s less a prediction and more a roadmap they’re already following.
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About The Human Bean
With a passion for creating happy ‘Human Beans’, the company’s drive-thrus around the U.S. have established a reputation for friendly baristas and high-quality coffee, teas, smoothies, granitas, Bright® Energy and good eats. The Human Bean opened its first drive-thru espresso stand in Ashland, Oregon in 1998, and currently supports over 216 locations open or under development in 23 states.
Learn more at thehumanbean.com.
- The Joy of the Unexpected
- Stacking, Layering, and Making It Unique