Minnesota Coffee Shop's Viral Raspberry Danish Latte Goes Global
A viral coffee drink, the raspberry danish latte, created by a small coffee shop in a Minnesota college town, is now spreading across the world after its inventors decided to freely share the recipe. Little Joy Coffee, located on the outskirts of Minneapolis, saw its spring seasonal beverage go viral in March, prompting the owners to encourage other coffee shops to adopt it directly onto their menus.
From Local Creation to International Phenomenon
After posting both a home recipe and step-by-step instructions for coffee shops, Little Joy asked establishments if they wanted to be added to a map of locations serving the raspberry danish latte. Hundreds of shops quickly signed up, resulting in a map with pins in dozens of countries and a presence on every continent except Antarctica, garnering nearly 2 million views. Baristas from the shop even tasted their invention while on vacation in Dublin, Ireland, highlighting its global reach.
The idea originated from the shop's "DIY or buy" video series, which shows how their recipes are made and breaks down ingredient costs. As affordability concerns grow, these videos aim to provide a realistic view of beverage pricing. The raspberry danish latte costs $8 at Little Joy, made with house-made raspberry syrup, milk, a double shot of espresso, and a vanilla cream cheese foam topped with raspberries on a skewer. The DIY cost is estimated at about $2.46, excluding labor or tools.
"The verdict is in: don't make this one at home," said store manager Serena Walker in the video, noting that most viewers wouldn't be able to visit the shop in person.
Encouraging Collaboration Over Competition
Set in downtown Northfield, Minnesota, a town of about 20,000 known for its "cows, colleges, community" slogan, Little Joy recognized that most of its over 132,000 Instagram followers wouldn't travel to the exurb 45 minutes south of Minneapolis. Owner Cody Larson initially doubted other shops would adopt the recipe, fearing it might make them "look like losers." However, he emphasized that small coffee shops often see each other as collaborators rather than competitors, with big chains being the real rivalry.
"I think just giving permission was really cool for a lot of shops that were watching from afar," Larson said. "It doesn't hurt us any if a coffee shop in California has the same drink as us. We're not worried about that."
Little Joy does not vet the coffee shops that sign up, so customers are advised to contact shops directly to confirm availability. Larson noted that some shops modify ingredients, but he trusts that people understand variations exist from shop to shop.
Seasonal Success and Customer Impact
The raspberry danish latte, inspired by the pastry, became Little Joy's top seller during its short spring menu run, outperforming standard lattes. This success reflects a trend of seasonal specialty menus at small coffee shops, though Larson observed that drinks with trendier ingredients like yuzu have seen declining sales, possibly due to cost concerns.
The "DIY or buy" series not only offers home-making options but also educates customers on the costs behind an $8 latte. "When you really break it down, you see how little profit we're actually making off of this," Walker explained, highlighting expenses like ingredients, labor, and overhead.
Other dessert-inspired drinks, such as a carrot cake latte, have also drawn customers. Larson, inspired by mixology, experiments with techniques like fat washing for syrups. Despite some online detractors questioning the drink's originality, he defends the effort put into perfecting ratios.
Local and Visitor Reactions
In Northfield, the shop serves locals and college professors in the mornings, with students from two private colleges visiting in the afternoons. Since the recipe went viral, people have driven hours to try the drink in person, often during family visits or specifically for Little Joy. Walker expressed amazement at this, noting the pressure of serving such dedicated customers.
Larson remains surprised by the latte's global spread and is brainstorming follow-up ideas. While considering creating another shareable recipe, he wants to ensure it's commercially viable. With a growing online following from other coffee shops, he explores ways to share education and build on this success.
"I still don't understand how it went so far," Larson said. "And, I'm just thinking, OK, what's next? Not like how do we outdo this or anything, just like, OK, what do we do with this new following?"
