Coffee is among the best selling commodities in the world. In fact, coffee is a beverage that is enjoyed by hundreds of millions of people on nearly every continent. As such, the coffee industry is one that is constantly evolving to meet consumer tastes. As those tastes go, so does the industry in America.
A number of important research studies this year have shown some interesting trends among American coffee drinkers. These trends will shape the future of both home brewing and office coffee service in 2024 and beyond. Here are three specific trends to watch for in the coming months and years:
1. Coffee Will Displace Other Beverages
Data from earlier this year shows that coffee consumption in America is on the rise. Some 61% of American adults report drinking coffee daily, up two percentage points from the year before. Furthermore, coffee continues to dominate other popular beverages such as sodas and teas. We expect that to be the case for the foreseeable future. In addition, we could see the start of the decline in energy drinks early next year with a corresponding increase in coffee interest. Now that the word has gotten out about the high caffeine content of energy drinks, consumers are less willing to embrace them.
2. Home Brewing Will Make a Comeback
The rise of popular coffee shop chains back in the 1990s led to fewer people brewing their own coffee at home in favor of grabbing a cup on the go. It was a lot more convenient to stop at the drive-through on the way to work than to set up a drip brewer every morning. However, the introduction of the single cup brewer has changed that.
Today’s single cup brewers are capable of producing a tasty cup of coffee in less time than it takes to make toast. The consumer just inserts a pod or cup, presses a button, and waits no more than a minute or two for a fresh cup of coffee. We believe this will create a resurgence in the home brewing market as evidenced by research data that suggests 15% of Americans already have a single cup brewer and 25% of those who do not are planning to buy one.
3. Fair Trade Coffee Will Become Extinct
When the idea of fair trade coffee was first presented, it was offered as a way to eliminate poverty among the world’s coffee growers by paying them above-market prices for their beans. Yet even as Americans pay more for this coffee, the poverty it was supposed to eliminate is still pervasive. We expect consumers to gradually stop buying fair trade coffee as they begin to understand they are paying higher prices for little or no results.