Report: Coffee Consumption Trends Remain High
Coffee consumption across all generations has stabilized and returned to pre-COVID levels with nearly two-thirds of Americans reporting they drank coffee in the past day, according to the “Atlas of American Coffee” from the National Coffee Association (NCA).
The report, commissioned by the NCA since 1950 and updated twice yearly, is the longest running study of American coffee consumption habits.
Past-day coffee consumption by adults aged 40-59 increased by more than 6% since January 2020. Past-day consumption by adults aged 25-39 increased by nearly 5%, while consumption by older adults (60+) increased by 1.5%. Past-day consumption by 18-24 year olds remained stable.
"Coffee's continuing reign as America's favorite beverage is great news for coffee drinkers and our economy,” said William "Bill" Murray, president and CEO of the NCA. “Coffee remains a mainstay in Americans' daily routines, supports businesses and workers in every state, and is associated with multiple unique health benefits."
The pandemic did not change how much coffee Americans drink (1.9 cups per capita or 2.9 cups per Past-Day coffee drinker), but it has had lingering effects on place of consumption. In today's report, 83% of past-day coffee drinkers had coffee at home, up by 4% since January 2020. 35% had coffee away from home, continuing to rebound from a low of 31% in January 2021 but down from 41% in January 2020.
Other key NCDT findings include:
- Lattes, espressos, and cappuccinos are in a three-way tie for America's most popular specialty coffee beverage (each enjoyed by 16% of past-day coffee drinkers).
- About one-third (32%) of past-week coffee drinkers had flavored coffee. Vanilla is the most popular flavor, followed by mocha, hazelnut and caramel.
- The most popular serving size is 12-16 ounces (52% of past-day coffee drinkers), followed by 5-8 ounces (44%), and 20+ ounces (12%).
- Drip coffee makers are the most popular preparation method (41% of past day coffee drinkers), followed by single cup brewers (28%), cold brewing (11%), and espresso machines (9%).