Home Treasures

Sometimes, what goes in your gourmet coffee can be as important as the coffee itself. In 1961 Nestle revolutionized the way we drink our coffee by introducing the world's first non-dairy powdered coffee creamer. Borden's followed not long after with Cremora, and powdered non-dairy creamer became a staple in many American kitchens.

In the mid-70s, Rich Foods introduced Coffee Rich non-dairy liquid creamer, marketing it as a creamy substitute for half-and-half for those who could not tolerate milk, or were avoiding dairy fats. Since then, things have not been the same. These days, half the dairy freezer at the supermarket is filled with non-dairy coffee creamers in a wide variety of brands and flavors, some especially created to accent gourmet coffee.

In 1980, a new player hit the supermarket shelves. International Delight made it easy to have delicious flavored coffees at home, without having to buy expensive flavored coffee. You could buy it in the dairy aisle in any one of three flavors: Irish Cream, Cinnamon Hazelnut or French Vanilla. Within months, Coffee-mate followed with its own line of coffee creamers, featuring Vanilla, Hazelnut and Irish Cream flavors. Since then, both companies have taken to introducing new flavors, limited edition flavors and holiday flavors on a regular basis. Take a look at what the major players in the coffee creamer market are offering.

Coffee-Mate

The first and still the biggest of the bunch, Coffee-Mate has expanded its line enormously over the past few years. Catering to their customers' tastes, Coffee-Mate has even held contests to allow customers to choose their limited edition flavors (vanilla chai spice and coconut crème are the two most recent entries). Coffee-Mate now offers twenty different flavors, including:

Flavored

Amaretto, Chocolate Raspberry, Cinnamon Vanilla Crème, Coconut Crème, Crème Brulée, Vanilla Crème, French Vanilla, Hazelnut, Irish Crème, Toffee Nut, Vanilla Caramel, Vanilla Nut and Vanilla Chai Spice

Seasonal Flavors

Eggnog, Gingerbread, Peppermint, Mocha, Pumpkin Spice

Special Edition

Blueberry Cobbler, Pralines & Crème

However, there are many other differences between coffee creamers than just the flavors. Coffee-mate especially has introduced some innovations in packaging and in chemical makeup to enhance its brand. For those watching their fat and sugar intake, among the specialty coffee creamers made by Coffee-mate, are fat free and sugar free versions of many of its most popular flavors (in case you were wondering, all the Coffee-mate flavors have 0% trans fat). In addition, they offer coffee creamers in three different forms: powdered, liquid and the newest, concentrate - which comes in a very cool portion controlled pump bottle. Any cup of gourmet coffee will benefit from a specialty coffee creamer.

You can also buy Coffee-Mate in several different kinds of packaging. The standard liquid creamer needs to be refrigerated, but if you buy Coffee-Mate in individual serving size plastic cups (boxes of 50), you can keep them on the shelf. The powdered Coffee-Mate variety, which comes in most of the same flavors as the liquid (including fat-free and sugar-free), also does not require refrigeration.

Coffee-Mate comes in original, non-flavored versions, both liquid and powdered, and has recently announced that it will be introducing a non-dairy half-and-half in the near future.

International Delight

When International Delight introduced their portion-control liquid flavored coffee creamers, they launched an entire new category of food products. International Delight was marketed as a luxury, and it certainly tasted like one. International Delight is now available in nine different flavors, including fat free and reduced sugar versions of their most popular flavors. The International Delight flavors include:

Original Flavors

Amaretto, Cinnamon Hazelnut, French Vanilla, Hazelnut, Irish Crème, Southern Butter Pecan, Vanilla Hazelnut, Vanilla Toffee Caramel and Hershey's Chocolate Caramel

Fat Free Flavors

Fat Free Amaretto, Fat Free Cinnamon Hazelnut, Fat Free French Vanilla, and Fat Free Irish Crème

Reduced Sugar Flavors

Reduced Sugar French Vanilla and Reduced Sugar Hazelnut.

International Delight coffee creamer is available in pints, quarts and individual portion control sizes. The pints and quarts must be refrigerated, but the individual single portion cups can be stored on your cupboard shelf until they are opened. Similar to Coffee-Mate, International Delight is non-dairy and certified kosher, though both popular non-dairy creamers contain sodium caseinate, which is made from solidified milk.

If you happen to run a coffee service or offer gourmet or regular coffee in the break room at your office, providing a variety of flavored non-dairy coffee creamers is a great way to give your customers or employees a choice of flavors without having the make separate pots of coffee to satisfy every taste.

About the Author:

Stephanie Larkin is a freelance writer who writes about topics pertaining to the food and beverage industry such as Gourmet Coffee

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Exploring the Different Types of Coffee Creamers

	Bodum Columbia Stainless-Steel Sugar and Creamer Set List Price: $44.00 Sale Price: $25.95 Used From: $21.99 Average Rating:
	Modern design can be far from sterile, as this stainless-steel sugar and creamer set from Bodum illustrates. Highly polished with a sensuous curve, each piece begs to be picked up and cradled in the hand...

	Frieling Creamer and Sugar Bowl Set List Price: $42.50 Sale Price: $42.50 Used From: $29.99 Average Rating:
	Beautiful Sugar Bowl and Creamer Set. Gorgeous mirror finish outside. Creamer doubles as frothing pitcher and Sugar Bowl includes lid and spoon.

	Fiesta Covered Creamer and Sugar Set with Tray, Black List Price: $50.00 Sale Price: $34.99 Used From: $10.99 Average Rating:
	First manufactured in 1936 during art deco's later, less ornate phase, Fiestaware went out of production in the 1970s, returned in the 1980s, and now enjoys unprecedented popularity. Older pieces fetch hundreds and even thousands of dollars at auctions...

	Miam.Miam Pluto Klear Glass Creamer and Sugar List Price: $29.00 Sale Price: $24.98 Average Rating:
	Miam.Miam 12-ounce double wall glass sugar and creamer sets with silicone knob and stainless steel lid.

	Pfaltzgraff Napoli Sugar and Creamer Set List Price: $29.00 Sale Price: $17.00 Average Rating:
	Whether you're sitting on a veranda overlooking the Italian coast or curled up on your own sofa, this sugar and creamer duo creates a warm and inviting scene. The signature Napoli flowers and vine motif brightens the set's ample shapes, while rose and blue trim provide a pleasing visual harmony...

	Signature Housewares Sonoma Valley Sugar and Creamer Set List Price: $13.99 Sale Price: $13.99 Used From: $6.99
	The Sonoma valley sugar and creamer set is the perfect way to kick off a signature Sonoma valley collection! Set includes sugar container with lid and creamer. Equip a new apartment, home, even dorm room with the Sonoma valley collection...

	4-Piece Small Creamer & Sugar Dispenser, Spoon & Tray Set - Fine Stainless Steel Tableware for Your Home List Price: $30.00 Sale Price: $25.00 Average Rating:
	This small cream & sugar set is so cute you'll want to use it every day! The 4 oz. creamer keeps dairy products cold while the covered sugar server is a convenient way to serve your favorite sweetener...

	Waechtersbach Creamer/Sugar Set, Black List Price: $38.99 Sale Price: $27.99 Average Rating:
	Go for color when choosing Waechtersbach Fun Factory dinnerware. Brilliant colors and great shapes mean you get fashion at a value. Both the Sugar dish and Creamer in this set measure 4" tall and will hold 1...

	La Cafetiere Wave Sugar and Creamer Set, Chrome List Price: $19.99 Sale Price: $18.00
	Welcome to La Cafetiere, the real hot drinks experts. Our classic Cafetiere, which is now in its 40th year, was the original plunger-type coffee maker to be marketed in the UK. This award-winning product is now widely recognised as a Design Icon by houseware specialists worldwide and, of course, remains a favorite with customers to this day...

	Mikasa Antique White Covered Sugar and Creamer Set List Price: $45.00 Sale Price: $31.99 Average Rating:
	There's no better way to pause in the middle of the day than over coffee or tea, and no better way to serve it than alongside a handsome and elegant sugar and creamer set. This set from Mikasa, part of their Antique White collection, is an ideal serving solution for those relaxing mid-day breaks with a friend or by yourself...