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US coffee consumption continues to rise, 2020 NCA report finds

The National Coffee Association recently unveiled its most comprehensive survey ever of American coffee drinking habits, showing American coffee drinking has reached new highs.

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April 15, 2020 by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

No one in the convenience services business questions the explosion in beverage options in recent years — everything from enhanced waters to energy drinks to kombucha. But rest assured, coffee continues to gain popularity, thanks in large measure to innovations such as single-cup brewers, gourmet coffee and espresso-based beverages, and newer offerings such as cold brew and nitrogen based coffee.

The National Coffee Association recently unveiled its most comprehensive survey ever of American coffee drinking habits, showing American coffee drinking has reached new highs. 

The 2020 National Coffee Data Trends Report will help convenience services operators understand what coffee products are gaining popularity, and what age groups are more likely to prefer traditional coffee to gourmet or espresso based drinks. As the number of coffee offerings have grown, some of the newer offerings appeal to consumers in certain geographic regions or of certain age groups.

"This year's release shows just how much Americans rely on the energy, comfort and normalcy of their favorite brew," NCA President and CEO Bill Murray said in a prepared statement in announcing the report. "But these are challenging times, and the coffee business is not as usual. NCA encourages everyone in the coffee industry to continue supporting small businesses, governments, health authorities, workers and every day Americans as we all work together to manage the profound impacts of the coronavirus outbreak."

Key NCDT findings include:

1) Americans drink more coffee than ever.

• Overall coffee consumption is up by 5% across the nation since 2015.
• 7 in 10 Americans drink coffee every week; 62% drink coffee every day.
• The average American coffee drinker drinks just over three cups per day.

2) Americans drink coffee throughout the day and are looking for convenient, on-the-go options.

• Nine out of 10 older coffee drinkers consume a cup at breakfast, compared to seven out of 10 18-24 year-olds do. Young people are almost twice as likely to consume a coffee beverage at lunchtime than someone over 60.
• The popularity of single-cup brewing machines has soared by nearly 50% in the last five years. Americans are 24% less likely than in 2015 to prepare their coffee in a traditional drip coffee maker.
• Almost half (48%) of daily coffee drinkers who buy their coffee at a quick service restaurant, cafe, donut shop or convenience store do so through a drive-through. And one quarter of people who have ordered a coffee outside the home in the past week have used an app to do so.

3) Americans are choosing premium beans and espresso-based beverages over traditional coffee.

• Nearly 60% of coffee served in the U.S. is "gourmet" (brewed from premium beans).
• Coffee drinkers are flocking to espresso-based beverages, with consumption of cappuccinos, lattes and flat whites up by 50% in the same time period, driven in part by strong popularity with 25-39 year-olds.
• Cold brew and nitro coffees were virtually unknown in 2015, but now one in five Americans under age 40 consumes at least one every single week. 
• Consumption of traditional coffee has declined by 10%, though coffee drinkers over 60 are twice as likely to consume traditional coffee as 18-24 year olds.
• Coffee drinkers in the Northeast are almost 15% more likely to order espresso-based beverages than coffee drinkers in the Midwest.
• New York City might be "the city that never sleeps," but Midwesterners are least likely to order decaf. 

4) Coffee choices reflect Americans' regional, cultural and generational preferences.

• Coffee consumption increases with age, but Americans under 40 increased coffee consumption 40% since 2015.
• Medium roast is, overall, America's favorite coffee. The West Coast leads on gourmet coffee consumption and cold brew is nearly 50% more popular there than in the South. Southerners are 25% more likely to order frozen blended coffee than Northeasterners.
• Espresso-based beverages are most popular with Hispanic-American coffee drinkers, and lattes are most popular with Asian-Americans. 
• Some beverages may be trendy on social media but haven't yet reached big numbers in general consumption. Flat whites, for example are still only a distant 9th place for Americans across the board; they are most popular with Hispanic-Americans and millennial coffee drinkers.
• More than half of coffee drinkers (53%) want to buy coffee that is certified good for the environment and good for coffee farmers and communities.

The NCA offers an interactive online version of the report that allows users to drill down into specific findings. The online report has a dashboard module that allows uers to click on buttons for different sections. The data can be exported into powerpoint slides and/or excel spreadsheets. For more information about the report, visit NCA at www.ncausa.org.

About Elliot Maras

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Elliot Maras is the editor of Kiosk Marketplace and Vending Times. He brings three decades covering unattended retail and commercial foodservice.