2022 CONSUMER CHECKPOINT
Behaviors + trends of coffee drinkers
Right now, coffee culture is having a moment. Coffee is in abundance with people around the world gaining access to new brews, beans and brands more than ever before.
Post-pandemic coffee routines are also becoming permanent with nearly 1 in 3 U.S. consumers admitting that their coffee drinking habits have increased in the last year. This change doesn't appear to be stopping anytime soon either. Coffee industry revenue in the U.S. is projected to hit $90.2M in 2022, and is expected to grow annually by 4.34%.
In response to this shift in behavior and interest in coffee, OnePulse decided to ask 400 consumers from our U.S. Pulser community what they really think about the latest coffee trends. It's one thing for the industry to anticipate what will be popular in 2022, it's another thing if every day people remain unaware of what's "up and coming."
Below are the top 7 most exciting insights we discovered from our coffee trend Pulses, selected from hundreds of results uncovered with OnePulse's consumer opinion platform.
Social Media Craze
U.S. consumers really are asking for bizarre coffee concoctions dreamed up by social media stars.
- 34% have ordered a custom coffee drink because they heard about it on social media
- 67% of those who have ordered these "social media" drinks say were worth the hype
- 56% would support coffee chains that implemented a ban on long, custom coffee orders
%20at%20your%20local%20coffee%20shop__question_chart.png?width=350&height=470&name=Have%20you%20ever%20been%20influenced%20by%20social%20media%20to%20order%20a%20fancy_custom%20drink%20(e.g.%20Kinder%20Bueno%20Frappe%2c%20Strawberry%20Acai%20Refresher%20Sunset%20Drink)%20at%20your%20local%20coffee%20shop__question_chart.png "Have you ever been influenced by social media to order a fancy_custom drink (e.g. Kinder Bueno Frappe, Strawberry Acai Refresher Sunset Drink) at your local coffee shop__question_chart")
Looks VS Taste
Coffee lovers overwhelmingly purchase drinks because of its taste. However, how a coffee drink looks is becoming more important.
-
98% of drinkers that have never ordered a custom coffee due to social media prefer taste over looks
- 26% of drinkers that have ordered a custom coffee due to social media prefer looks over taste
- 37% believe social media is doing more harm than good to the coffee industry
Adventurous or Not
U.S. consumers like to stick with coffee classics, but are more open-minded than you'd expect.
- 28% say their go-to drink is a regular cup of coffee, followed by a latte at 13% and a mocha at 12%
- 65% say roast/taste is what influences their coffee buying behavior the most; only 32% say brand is the most influential factor
- 33% haven't ordered a custom coffee drink before because they haven't found something worth trying
Coffee Drink Awareness
There is an awareness gap between "trendy" coffee drinks and what U.S. consumers have actually tried.- 56% have never had a Dalgona but are interested in trying it after learning more about it
- 51% have never had a Snap-Chilled Coffee but are interested in trying it after learning more about it
- 32% have never had a Sparkling Americano or Half-Caff but are interested in trying it after learning more about it
RTD Coffee Growth
43% of Americans who have tried ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee purchase it at least once per week.- Iced mochas (39%) and iced lattes (36%) are the two most popular RTD coffee categories
- 21% rate RTD coffee as "better" or "much better" than freshly brewed coffee
- Only 13% have never tried RTD coffee before
Hard Coffee Potential
While a majority (64%) of Americans have never tried coffee and alcohol together, traditional pairings remain the most popular.- Irish cream (41%), Kahlua (31%) and Vodka (24%) with coffee are the most tried combinations
- 28% are "very interested" or "interested" in trying hard coffee after learning more about it
- 77% say they liked hard coffee drinks after trying it
__question_chart.png?width=350&height=497&name=Have%20you%20ever%20tried%20hard%20ready-to-drink%20coffee%20(e.g.%20canned%20or%20bottled%20coffee%20with%20alcohol)__question_chart.png "Have you ever tried hard ready-to-drink coffee (e.g. canned or bottled coffee with alcohol)__question_chart")
Sustainability + Coffee
U.S. consumers know sustainability is associated with eco-friendly and fair trade practices, but still want to learn more.
- 53% are "very interested" or "interested" in learning more about sustainable coffee
- 31% say they drink coffee labeled "sustainable" while 27% say they are unsure if they do
- 51% would pay more for a cup of coffee based on country of origin
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