Taiwan Cafés Add Salt to Coffee for Bold Flavors

In Taiwan, where coffee drinkers have long customized their brews with sugar or milk, a new twist is shaking up the routine: adding salt. But this isn’t about stirring a pinch into your cup. Instead, cafés are reinventing the experience by blending salt directly into the drink — creating a bold, savory-sweet profile that’s turning heads.

Since December, 85°C Coffee has sold nearly 15,000 cups of its "Sea Salt Coffee" across its 326 Taiwan locations. The drink combines coffee with a salted cream topping, offering a richer, more complex taste that appeals to adventurous palates.

What Is Sea Salt Coffee?

Sea Salt Coffee is a Taiwanese café innovation that blends traditional coffee with a creamy, salted topping. Unlike simply adding salt to your mug, this drink features salt infused into the foam or cream layer, creating a contrast between the bitterness of coffee and the savory note of salt. The result is a smoother, more rounded flavor that enhances sweetness and reduces perceived bitterness.

Why Are Taiwanese Cafés Adding Salt to Coffee?

The trend stems from a desire to offer more sensory experiences in a crowded market. "Taiwanese consumers are greedy for flavor — they want everything in one sip," said Chung Ching-ju, PR director at 85°C Coffee. With over 50 beverages already on the menu, the chain continually innovates to stand out. The company highlights that sea salt is also positioned as a healthy additive, aligning with wellness trends.

How Popular Is Salted Coffee in Taiwan?

Since its December launch, 85°C Coffee’s Sea Salt Coffee has quickly gained traction, with nearly 15,000 cups sold across 326 stores in Taiwan. The drink’s popularity suggests a growing appetite for experimental flavors among local coffee drinkers. One customer, Hung Hsiao-yu, noted that the trend could become mainstream, reflecting broader interest in unconventional coffee combinations.

Will Sea Salt Coffee Expand Beyond Taiwan?

Yes. 85°C Coffee plans to introduce Sea Salt Coffee to its locations in Shanghai and Australia later this year, aiming to bring the unique Taiwanese flavor innovation to international markets.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Sea Salt Coffee?

Sea Salt Coffee is a coffee drink that incorporates salt — typically in a salted cream or foam topping — to create a savory contrast with the coffee’s bitterness. It originated in Taiwan and is designed to enhance sweetness and smoothness while offering a bolder flavor profile.

Which café chain in Taiwan sells Sea Salt Coffee?

85°C Coffee, a major Taiwanese bakery and coffee chain with 326 locations, introduced Sea Salt Coffee in December. The drink has sold nearly 15,000 cups across Taiwan since its launch.

What makes Sea Salt Coffee different from regular coffee?

Sea Salt Coffee differs by adding salt (often in a salted cream topping) to the coffee, creating a savory-sweet balance. This contrasts with typical coffee additives like sugar or milk, offering a richer and more complex taste experience.

Is salt added directly to the coffee or just the topping?

In 85°C Coffee’s Sea Salt Coffee, salt is incorporated into the creamy topping (not directly into the brewed coffee). The salted cream is layered on top, creating a flavorful contrast with the underlying coffee.

Will Sea Salt Coffee be available outside Taiwan?

Yes. 85°C Coffee plans to roll out Sea Salt Coffee to its Shanghai and Australian locations later in the year, expanding the offering beyond Taiwan.

Why did 85°C Coffee introduce a salted coffee?

According to 85°C PR director Chung Ching-ju, the chain continually develops new drinks (it already offers over 50) to meet customer demand for variety. The company also notes that sea salt is seen as a healthy ingredient, aligning with current trends.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Salty Coffee Pairings

Try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Humbera for bright acidity that contrasts with salty cream, or the Yirgacheffe for floral sweetness to balance the savory notes. Both single origins highlight distinct profiles that play well with experimental toppings. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.