How latte art and cafe partnerships are fueling the growth of Táche’s food service business

Now, Táche is pursuing more retail and cafe partnerships on the back of this increased interest. When Táche launched via DTC amid the pandemic in late 2020, the company worked with independent cafes to drive trials among customers. This helped get the word out about the milk at a time when in-person sampling was limited. The brand launched in over 500 Target stores in August and is making its Amazon debut this month. About 49% of Táche’s business comes from food service deals with cafes and coffee shops. According to the company, several factors such as taste, nutrition and sustainability are helping drive Táche sales from cafe orders. 

Táche is currently served at over 3,000 cafes and coffee shops globally, with the company estimating that over 15,000 baristas use Táche for espresso, coffee and tea orders daily. Some of the most recent food service launches include Fellini in New York City and Los Angeles’ Camel Coffee coming soon.

Táche founder Roxana Saidi told Modern Retail that she’s really proud of the global food service business her brand has built.

“We’re still the only true pistachio milk on the market, and that’s really shown to resonate with people,” Saidi said. Its growing popularity may be tied to recent food trends. The products are free of seed oils, which have become controversial additives. Sustainability seems to be another driving factor in increased interest in Táche. Saidi said pistachio trees require 75% less water than almond trees. 

Táche’s growth also comes at a time when pistachio flavors have taken over social media feeds, most recently with the decadent “Dubai chocolate” going viral. Earlier this year, the brand also launched a line of ready-to-drink lattes to meet demand for on-the-go coffee. 

Increased interest in pistachio milk is also fueled by barista art on TikTok and Instagram, including Starbucks employees showcasing the chain’s own iced pistachio latte. Saidi said this effect is creating inbound requests for Táche Barista Blend from coffee shops. 

To keep up with demand, the company has ramped up its Faire channel, directing coffee shops to place orders through the B-to-B marketplace. Táche first launched on the wholesale platform Faire in 2021, said Mike van Dorn, vp of operations and finance at Táche. 

“It’s been a part of the business from very, very early days but I would say that in terms of the explosive growth that we’ve seen on it, that’s really come over the last six to nine months,” van Dorn said.

Faire allows the company to deliver to businesses within a few days rather than take orders on an individual case. According to Táche, it has experienced nearly 200% year-over-year growth since April 2024 on the platform. This also coincided with Táche’s expansion into retail at chains like Whole Foods and recently at Target, van Dorn said.

Saidi said Faire has also given the company access to wholesale customers outside of Táche’s existing geographical network on the coasts. For instance, some of the top accounts include Gold Dome in Oklahoma City, Hank’s Coffee Station in Franklin, Tenn. and Welton’s Tiny Bakeshop in Charleston.

“We have also been able to access international markets through Faire,” she said. Táche milk is currently being served in Brussels, Amsterdam, and Vienna, among other European cities. Thanks to the brand’s social media virality, demand is also growing around the world. Saidi says Táche is now receiving a “tsunami” of inbound requests from Paris-based coffee shops, in particular.

“For us, [food service] has also been an influential brand awareness and customer acquisition channel,” Saidi said. For instance, when launching in a new cafe, the brand works with the baristas and owners on an event or activation to introduce Táche to customers. 

This month, the brand will debut at Los Angeles-based specialty coffee chain Hilltop by helping create a specialty co-branded latte. Next month, Táche will also run a promotion in which it will be partnering with a number of cafes to offer 50 free lattes to customers over the course of a weekend. “Unlike retail, the marketing playbook is really unique to each cafe,” Saidi said.

It helps that interest in everything pistachio is growing.

Leana Salamah, senior vp of marketing & communications at the Specialty Food Association, told Modern Retail that “pistachio is a flavor and ingredient that feels a little luxurious while still being accessible.”

Salamah said that the combination is “perfectly on-trend for specialty food consumers these days as they look to upscale their cooking and snacking.” At the Summer Fancy Food Show in June, for instance, the flavor was spotted across several food categories, many with flavors rooted in West Asian and North African cuisines. 

“This has been a trend for a few years,” Salamah said. “But today, pistachio seems to be breaking into new categories with exciting innovations.” 

Now that the flavor has cemented its status in the specialty and better-for-you products, Táche is riding pistachio’s popularity in hopes of becoming a category leader. Coffee shops are a big piece of that puzzle. “I think there is no better way to ingratiate ourselves in the community in a new market than by being in the coffee shops,” van Dorn said.