Consumer Trends: 83 Percent of Americans Drink Coffee

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (NCA) — Overall coffee consumption jumped by five percentage points this year, according to the NCA National Coffee Drinking Trends (NCDT) market research study. With this increase, 83% of the U.S. adult population now drinks coffee. At the same time, daily consumption remained strong and steady at 63%, while those who drink coffee at least once per week was up slightly to 75%.

Past-day coffee consumption among Hispanic-Americans again outpaced that of other Americans, further affirming data identified last year when NCA began tracking ethnic consumption. Seventy-six percent of adult Hispanic-Americans said they drank coffee yesterday, 13 percentage points ahead of the total population. By comparison, 47% of African-Americans and 64% of Caucasian-Americans said they drank coffee yesterday.

In other NCDT data, the single-cup brewing format continues to grow steadily: 13% of the U.S. population drank a coffee made in a single-cup brewer yesterday. This is up from just 4% in 2010. By contrast, past-day consumption of a coffee made in a drip coffee maker has dropped to 37% from 43% over the same period. Awareness of single-cup brewers reached 82%, up by 11 points from last year, while ownership has grown to 12% from 10% last year.

Gourmet Coffee
Consumption of gourmet coffee beverages remained strong and steady, with nearly one third (31%) of the population partaking each day. At the same time, consumption of traditional coffee was off by seven percentage points to 49% versus 56% in 2012.

Among Hispanic-Americans, past-day consumption of gourmet coffee beverages towered above that of other groups at 44% versus 30% for Caucasian-Americans and 25% among African-Americans. The differential carried through when gourmet coffee beverages were broken out into its components: for espresso-based beverages the corresponding breakout was 24% among Hispanic-Americans, 10% among Caucasian-Americans and 12% among African-Americans, while for gourmet varieties of traditional coffee, 23% among Hispanic-Americans, 20% among Caucasian-Americans and 13% among African-Americans.

Volatile Youth
Younger consumers also showed more affinity for espresso-based beverages than their elders, with 16% of those 18-39 drinking them in the past day compared with just 6% of those 60+. However, overall daily consumption of coffee by younger consumers appears to have dropped. Among those 18-24, daily overall coffee consumption fell to 41% from 50% last year, and for those 25-39 to 59% from 63%. However, the 2013 figures are more consistent with levels in earlier years, suggesting that this year's decline indicates volatility in these segments rather than softening. Conversely, overall daily consumption of coffee among those 60+ rose to 76% from 71% last year, and for those 40-59 to 69% from 65% in 2012.

Digging deeper, the 60+ group appears to favor gourmet varieties of traditional coffee, with daily consumption up to 24% from 19% last year. For those 25-39, conversely, the corresponding figures dropped to 18% from 26% last year. For non-gourmet traditional coffee, daily consumption remained essentially steady for those 60+, but fell among those 18-24, moving from 27% to 17% this year.  
 
National Coffee Drinking Trends
NCA's National Coffee Drinking Trends (NCDT) study has been conducted annually by NCA since 1950. It is the longest available statistical series of consumer drinking patterns in the U.S. The study engaged a nationally representative sample of 2,840 people 18 and older. Respondents are selected from an online panel with ethnic breakouts aligned proportionately with the makeup of the U.S. population. Respondents complete the survey online in English or Spanish at their choosing. Data was collected mid-January through mid-February 2013 with daily quotas to ensure a balanced mix of days of the week.

Part of the NCA Market Research Series, the NCDT is joined by additional studies with distinct foci that expand the breadth and depth of actionable market intelligence available to the industry to propel strategic planning and product development. Coffee and Ethnicity takes a deep dive into the distinctions in coffee consumption habits among U.S. ethnic groups. Reflecting the proportional makeup of the U.S. population and engaging both English and Spanish questionnaires, this study examines consumption patterns among Hispanic-Americans, further broken down by levels of acculturation and countries of origin, as well as African-Americans. The Single-Serve Format: Evolving Perceptions, Continued Growth takes a deep dive into trends, behaviors and attitudes surrounding consumer adoption of the single-cup format.

NCA Market Research Series studies are available in hard copy and pdf formats. For those interested in the entirety of detailed findings, a full set of the NCDT tabular data is also available.

About the National Coffee Association
The National Coffee Association of U.S.A, Inc. (NCA), established in 1911, is the leading trade organization for the coffee industry in the United States. NCA is the only trade association that serves all segments of the U.S. coffee industry, including traditional and specialty companies. A majority of NCA membership, which accounts for over 90% of U.S. coffee commerce, is comprised of small and mid-sized companies and includes growers, roasters, retailers, importer/exporters, wholesaler/suppliers and allied industry businesses. NCA offers a wide array of services, focusing on market and scientific research, domestic and international government relations, issues management and public relations, and education. The NCA's core purpose is to champion the well-being of the U.S. coffee industry within the context of the world coffee community. Visit our website for additional information about NCA and the world of coffee.