On National Coffee Day, Americans will happily caffeinate

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29 September is National Coffee Day and Americans will be well caffeinated as my inbox is filled with press releases about promotions, deals and special giveaways that coffee chains are offering tomorrow, and many are running them through International Coffee Day on 1 October.

Although some may ‘flirt’ with other beverages, coffee is undoubtedly the preferred beverage in the United States (sitting above water), as National Coffee Association (NCA) president and CEO William ‘Bill’ Murray affirms, “coffee continues its reign as America’s favourite beverage, and we expect that to continue for many Coffee Days to come.”

Evidencing that statement, the NCA reports that Americans drink an estimated 440 million cups of coffee per day. Furthermore, Drive Research reports that 87% of Americans consider themselves somewhat or ‘full-on’ coffee-obsessed.

As we celebrate the upcoming ‘coffee days’, there is ample research supporting America’s obsession with coffee (if I recall correctly, the term – and activity – ‘coffee break’ was actually coined in New Orleans many decades ago). Drive Research (based on a nationwide survey of 1500+ people) finds that 74% (or 3 in 4) of Americans drink coffee every day, with 48% of coffee drinkers ‘limiting’ their coffee intake to 3 to 5 cups daily. The market research firm also reports that 32% of people purchase coffee from a coffee shop 1 to 3 days a week.

The NCA’s Fall 2023 NCDT (National Coffee Drinking Trends) report finds that coffee continues to bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic, which did not affect overall coffee consumption but did impact out-of-home and workplace coffee. Cups per capita and cups per coffee drinker have held relatively steady since 2020 (1.7 and 2.8 respectively). Commissioned by the NCA since 1950 and now updated twice yearly, the NCDT report is the longest-running study of American consumers’ coffee drinking patterns.

At-home coffee consumption reached a high of 85% of past-day coffee drinkers in January 2021 data and has remained above pre-pandemic levels (82% in the current NCDT report). In-office coffee has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels — 36% of Americans report having an in-office coffee station, up from a pandemic low of 26% in January 2021.

The NCDT report further revealed that despite the many coffee preparation methods available, drip coffee makers are the most popular brewing method: 40% of past day coffee drinkers. The automatic drip method is followed by single cup brewers (27%), cold brewing (16%), and espresso machines (11%).

It is quite interesting to learn that cold brewing now ranks as the third most popular preparation method because cold brew was nearly unknown when the NCA began tracking it. The latest NCDT shows that cold brew’s popularity has skyrocketed up by 45% since January 2023 and 300% since 2016 (I wonder if the advent of pumpkin cream and pumpkin spice cold brews has anything to do with that… 😊)

Other key findings from the Fall 2023 NCDT reveal that:

  • Lattes are the most popular espresso-based beverage (consumed by 18% of Americans in the past-week) followed by espresso (16%) and cappuccinos (15%).
  • 30% of Americans had flavoured coffee in the past week. Vanilla is the most popular, with caramel and hazelnut tied for second, followed by mocha.
  • 81% of American coffee drinkers have coffee with breakfast, compared with 38% in the morning, 15% with lunch, 19% in the afternoon, 7% with dinner, and 10% in the evening.

When it comes to coffee roast preferences among Americans, Drive Research finds that 49% favour medium roast coffee, “appreciating its balanced flavour and aroma.” Meanwhile, 28% lean toward the bold and robust profile of dark roast, while 12% opt for the milder and more nuanced flavours of light roast. Curiously, 11% of coffee drinkers have no specific roast preference.

Further Drive Research insights note that:

  • 40% of people drink two cups of coffee a day, while 9% of people drink 6 to 8 cups a day
  • at 85%, retirees are most likely to drink coffee every day
  • 41% of people prefer to drink their coffee black [Despite all of the coffee enhancement flavours available, 1 in 4 people prefer to drink their coffee black. Of all respondents surveyed, new moms and dads were most likely to consume black coffee (64%).]
  • 49% of coffee consumers use normal sugar, whereas 34% of people prefer Stevia or similar zero-calorie sweeteners [Other coffee sweetener preferences include honey (18%), agave (9%) and maple syrup (7%).]
  • 38% of Americans prefer coffee unsweetened
  • 68% of people do not drink decaf coffee at all
  • 18% of people strictly drink decaf coffee
  • 56% of people agree that drinking coffee benefits their health.

So, whether celebrating National Coffee Day, International Coffee Day, or both, while indulging, I am reiterating my nearly annual suggestion this time of year for coffee lovers to engage in the lovely Italian gesture known as caffè sospeso. A caffè sospeso, which means ‘suspended coffee’ or ‘pending coffee’ in Italian, is a cup of coffee paid for in advance as an anonymous act of charity. The tradition evidently began in the working-class cafés of Naples, where someone who had experienced good luck would order a sospeso, paying the price of two coffees but receiving and consuming only one. A poor person inquiring later whether there was a sospeso available would then be served a coffee for free.

A wonderful charitable coffee concept every day, but especially during these celebratory ‘coffee days’.

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