Skip to main content

These TikTokkers Are Making Orange Juice Espressos, Should You?

In theory, mixing bitter coffee with tangy orange juice sounds like something a toddler would do: brown and orange? Sharp and bitter together? Believe or not, though, this unholy communion can be a smoky, sweet treat — given the right mix.

Search for ‘orange juice espresso’ on TikTok and you’ll stumble upon a stunning 527.6 million views. This includes over 1.6 million views from @bundaddy swearing that, “I have not seen one person who likes espresso and orange juice not like them together. You think that you won’t [like it] — you will.”

@bundaddy

I’ve never led you astray! #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #MaiselChallenge #MakeItGucci

♬ original sound – bundaddy

At The Manual, we were up for the challenge. Along the way, we had help from Natalie Sexton, the current proprietor of Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company, to provide perspective on the concoction and its significance for the orange juice industry. What emerged was a business profile reflecting the industry and an important answer to the OJ-coffee conundrum: Maybe.

The more astute, culinary-aware readers might already be asking, “What kind of orange juice and what type of espresso?” For Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company, it’s Fort Pierce. Florida citrus trends toward the sweeter side of the scale.

“It’s the heartland of citrus due to the terrain, tropical temperature, and the soil. It produces very, very sweet juicy oranges,” Sexton said.

Natalie’s uses 80% Florida oranges in its juice, maintaining relationships with 25 local growers for over 20 years.

An outdoor breakfast spread that includes a pair of orange juices mixed with coffee.
Pixlr.

“Our commitment to sourcing and production is what sets us apart,” Sexton said. “Our commitment to minimally processed juice is as close to using only actual ingredients as possible.”

Sexton’s father, Bobby Sexton, was a fourth-generation Florida citrus grower who saw the niche market for fresh-squeezed juice when the only market options were highly processed concentrates that were pasteurized to the point of sterilization. He dreamed of producing fresh-squeezed juice but was too busy running the family’s packing house to pursue it. His wife, Marygrace, took that vision and began to squeeze fresh juice for a roadside stand. 30 years later, this has blossomed into a family-operated, women-owned business that produces high-end juice, sourcing 35 to 40 states and running a revenue of over $110 million in the process.

Still, with some of the country’s sweetest oranges on tap, when Natalie’s made their own OJ and coffee cocktail, drink makers found that adding a splash of pineapple smoothed out the double shot of acid and brightened the mix.

“Taking two very acidic items and mixing them together isn’t always the best idea,” Sexton said. “We actually mixed the orange juice with pineapple. It changed the profile and made it more consumable.”

The key seems to be sweetness when mixing the Vitamin C-rich drink with morning java. My own experience avoided espresso for cafe de olla, aka ‘Mexican coffee.’ Brewed coffee is cut with cinnamon and cane sugar to produce a super sweet, spicy concoction. Mixed with fresh-squeezed orange juice, the effect was surprisingly tasty: The super-sweet drink elevated tart citrus juice with a pleasant sugary and smoky bump.

It was a fun trend to follow and it helped Natalie’s bring new exposure to its consumers and buyers.

“Trends are wonderful because they inform a further customer base on new ways to use our product and new ways to consider our beverage. It’s a great awareness opportunity, providing alternate options and considerations. It’s a wonderful new way to translate the brand,” Sexton said.

When new beverage buzzes arise, Natalie’s reaches out to its social media influencers and food service partners. Chefs, for example, are now using Natalie’s to make the concoction in restaurants, coffee shops, and cafes.

An extra shot of caffeine along with anti-inflammatories and a solid dose of Vitamin C, it’s refreshment worth experimenting with at home or when going out.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Matthew Denis
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Matt Denis is an on-the-go remote multimedia reporter, exploring arts, culture, and the existential in the Pacific Northwest…
Love Dune 2? The best Denis Villeneuve movies, ranked
Dune: Part Two director Denis Villeneuve has had a very prolific career.
The official poster for Dune: Part Two.

Thanks to the box office success of Dune: Part Two, Denis Villeneuve is now firmly established among the top directors in Hollywood. It's an overnight success story that only took 26 years to come to fruition. And over the past decade, Villeneuve has taken it upon himself to make some of the best science fiction movies of the century. But Villeneuve has already proven that he can do a lot more than sci-fi.

To celebrate the director's films, we've narrowed them down to the 7 best Denis Villeneuve movies ranked from seventh to first. And there is no "worst" among these Denis Villeneuve movies.

Read more
The Ghostbusters have a new ride in Frozen Empire, courtesy of Mercedes Benz
Mercedes Benz Sprinter plays a pivotal role in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
The ECTO-Z makes its debut in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.

Later this month, the Ghostbusters will be back on the big screen in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. And while three generations of the team are coming together, there is a big addition to the crew: The ECTO-Z. At an event in New York City, Mercedes-Benz officially unveiled the Ghostbusters' new ride, which is a customized Mercedes-Benz Sprinter that follows in the footsteps of the iconic ECTO-1 from the first three films.

Given the larger size of the second and third-generation Ghostbusters team, it was only natural that they would need a vehicle that could carry all of them to the scene of a haunting anywhere in NYC. As for the name, it comes from original team member Dr. Winston Zeddemore, as played by Ernie Hudson. Ghostbusters: Afterlife established that Zeddemore is now the financial backer of the Ghostbusters and the de facto leader of the team.

Read more
Everything points to Apple TV+ making a change you’re not going to like
Is an ad-supported tier coming to Apple TV+?
The Apple TV Plus Logo

It turns out that TV worked pretty well under its old model. According to a new report from Business Insider, Apple TV+ may be the latest streaming service that's set to introduce an ad-supported tier and charge those who don't stream with ads a premium fee to access their great shows and movies.

At this point, the report is still speculation, but Apple has made several recent hires in the advertising space that seem to suggest the direction they're planning to take. The company recently hired former NBCUniversal ad executive Joseph Cady to serve as executive vice president of advanced advertising and partnerships, a move that comes following the company's hiring of another former NBCUniversal executive, Jason Frum, who joined Apple's video ad sales team.

Read more