For a work lunch with no preparation, choose a ready-to-drink iced coffee in a size that suits your break and with storage instructions that work for you. A concentrate lets you make your drink on the spot if you have something to dilute it with. Homemade cold brew gives you control over the coffee and any extra ingredients, but needs to be prepared in advance.
An individual ready-to-drink portion means you don’t have to make coffee at work. E.Leclerc offers a 250 ml PLANTATION Café froid latte, while Auchan sells a 250 ml Carte Noire Cappuccino that can be enjoyed cold. Check the ingredients and storage instructions for the product you choose.
If you can prepare your drink in advance, you can choose the coffee, adjust the dilution and add your preferred ingredients. Carte Noire’s cold brew recipe calls for a coarse grind and 18 to 20 hours of infusion in the fridge.
The word ‘latte’ or the claim ‘100% Arabica’ isn’t a substitute for reading the label. The PLANTATION and Carte Noire products described by E.Leclerc, Carrefour and Auchan contain milk and sugars. Compare the ingredients list and nutritional information for the product you plan to drink.
For lunch at work, first decide whether you’ll be able to prepare your drink on the spot or the night before. Then think about the coffee, ingredients and format you prefer.
Choose this if: you want to open a portion during a short break, without having to make coffee.
Bear in mind: check the ingredients and storage instructions for each recipe, especially milk-based drinks.
Choose this if: you can add water or milk at work and want to control how much you dilute it.
Bear in mind: you’ll need a drink to dilute it with and a container; concentrate isn’t a substitute for a bottle you can simply open and drink.
Choose this if: you want to select the coffee and make your own drink before you leave.
Bear in mind: Carte Noire’s recipe requires 18 to 20 hours of infusion in the fridge, followed by filtering.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| A no-preparation break | Whether it’s ready to drink, the volume and the storage instructions. | I want to open my iced coffee during a short break without having to find any equipment. Around 31% of consumers put this convenience first. |
| Coffee profile | The type of coffee listed and, for homemade preparations, the infusion time. | If I make my own drink, I want to choose the coffee and adjust the dilution to suit my taste. This is the top priority for around 25% of consumers. |
| Ingredients | The ingredients, allergens and sugars per 100 ml and per portion consumed. | Before adding iced coffee to my lunch, I need to know whether it contains milk and compare its sugar content. For around 25% of consumers, ingredients come before other factors. |
| Storage between portions | The number of portions and instructions for after opening. | I might not finish a large format over several lunches, so I’d rather know how long it keeps once opened. Around 19% of consumers make this a priority. |
Cold brew refers to cold extraction, not simply the temperature at which the coffee is served. Carte Noire’s recipe involves infusing the coffee in the fridge for 18 to 20 hours.
For an immediate break, choose a ready-to-drink option instead; save this recipe for when you have time to prepare it in advance.
You’ll also need a container and something to filter the coffee with.
These terms alone don’t tell you a drink’s nutritional information. The ready-to-drink milk-based recipes offered by E.Leclerc and Auchan contain sugars.
Compare the sugars per 100 ml with the amount you’ll drink, rather than relying on the recipe name alone.
Carrefour’s product listings for Carte Noire and Candia Columbus, and E.Leclerc’s listing for PLANTATION, state that the relevant recipes contain semi-skimmed milk.
If you want to avoid milk, check the ingredients and allergens for the exact product before choosing a black or plant-based drink.
For the 75 cl bottle of Carte Noire Cappuccino featured by Auchan, the instructions say to keep it in the fridge and consume it within three days of opening.
If you plan to spread the bottle over several lunches, check that this fits your drinking habits. Instructions may differ for other products.
E.Leclerc stocks PLANTATION’s 250 ml ready-to-drink Café froid latte, as well as ground and whole-bean coffee.
Carrefour and Auchan offer ready-to-drink milk-based Carte Noire beverages, and the brand also publishes a cold brew recipe to make at home.
Carrefour Sensation features in the coffee and milk drinks sold by Carrefour, including products described as Caffè Latte and cappuccino.
Carrefour describes the Candia Columbus Café & Co Café Latte Expresso as a ready-to-drink milk-based beverage made with cold brew.
These products include single portions to serve cold and a coffee concentrate to prepare on the spot. To choose between them, start by considering how much time you have at work, then check the ingredients and instructions on the packaging.
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A portion of iced Americano to consider for a break when you don’t want to prepare anything on the spot.
Size: 350 ml. If caffeine or keeping it cool during your journey matters to you, check the packaging for guidance.
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An individual iced latte for a break with no preparation.
Size: 350 ml. To compare this recipe with another latte, check the ingredients, allergens and sugars listed on the packaging.
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A single hazelnut-flavoured pouch to consider if you prefer to take a smaller portion with you for your break.
Size: 190 ml. The flavour description doesn’t tell you about allergens, so check the product’s ingredients list.
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A concentrate to consider if you can make your iced coffee at work rather than opening a ready-to-drink beverage.
Pack size: 126 g. Make sure you have something to dilute it with, and check the preparation instructions and ingredients for the product you choose.
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Individual portions to consider if you’d like to plan ahead for several breaks without making coffee on the spot.
Pack size: 10 sachets of 230 ml. Check the packaging for the ingredients and storage instructions that suit how you plan to use them.
Yes, as long as its storage instructions suit your working day. E.Leclerc offers a chilled 250 ml PLANTATION Café froid latte, while Auchan says its 250 ml Carte Noire Cappuccino can be enjoyed cold. Check the instructions for the product you’re taking with you.
The difference is how the coffee is prepared, not just its temperature when you drink it. Carte Noire’s cold brew recipe uses cold extraction with a coarse grind and 18 to 20 hours of infusion in the fridge. So you’ll need to make it before lunch, rather than during your break.
Check the ingredients list, allergens, nutritional information and how much you’ll drink. For prepacked food sold in France, the DGCCRF outlines the applicable labelling rules. The word ‘latte’ alone doesn’t let you compare two recipes or rule out the presence of milk.
Yes, but only for the length of time and in the conditions stated for that bottle. Auchan says its 75 cl Carte Noire Cappuccino should be kept in the fridge and consumed within three days of opening. Check the instructions separately for any other product.