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Culture August 4, 2016
You may not know it, but you probably already have a tall, dark, and handsome partner in your life…in the form of coffee, at least! Whether it’s your daily dose of workday motivation or your favorite treat when studying at Starbucks, coffee is a staple in American cuisine an culture. In fact, Harvard’s School of Public Health reports that 54 percent of Americans over the age of 18 drink coffee, consuming an average of 3 nine ounce cups a day.
One fact that you probably already realize, though, is that not all coffee is created equal and, just as coffee has changed over time, so have coffee shops and their customers. What does 2016 mean for coffee shop trends and café customers? Here’s everything you should know – with some help from the National Coffee Blog‘s recap of the 2016 National Coffee Drinking Trends report and Stockton Graham – about what’s “hot” this year for your favorite hot beverage…or your favorite shop to escape the summer heat.
Ever walk into a coffee shop and not see some an artsy twenty-somethin’ ordering, drinking, or Instagramming their espresso? Probably not. In fact, the National Coffee Drinking Trends report starts off by saying, “More Millennials are drinking coffee out-of-home, turning coffee consumption into a public expression of individuality.” The phrase “you are what you eat” has never been more accurate.
When choosing where to get your caffeine on, you probably consider several factors such as price, location, and overall vibe. According to the National Coffee Drinking Trends (NCDT), though, most consumers have different motivations than previous generations. They want a “personal relationship with the products and brands they support” and use what they buy – including coffee – to “reflect their world view.” If you ever wondered why people pay double the price for organic coffee served in biodegradable cups, now you know.
This finding also supports Stockton Graham’s prediction that 2016 would call for a “sense of place” in its coffee shops. Customers aren’t just visiting for the coffee, anymore – they want character too, whether in choosing a local “mom-and-pop” joint over a Starbucks or preferring vintage charm over sleek, modern furnishings.
If you have never splurged on a specialty cup of coffee – ranging from espresso-based classics to iced or frozen beverages – you’ll probably try one sometime soon. As the National Coffee Blog explains, the NCA found, “Between 2008 and 2016, past-day consumption of gourmet coffee beverages soared from 13 percent to 36 percent among 18-24-year-olds, and from 19 percent to 41 percent for those 25-39.” Common coffee just isn’t trendy enough anymore. Instead, coffee shops must step up to the plate (or mug) and create their own signature blends and trademark brews.
As a child, coffee might have seemed like a mystic art as boiling water suddenly transformed into a magical “adult” drink. Thanks to technology, customers know more about coffee than ever – and they want to be impressed. The result? Three of them, actually: the flat white, cold brew, and nitrogen-infused coffees, which have earned enough fans (or at least one-time tasters) to be included in 2016’s NCDT. Successful coffee shops might be ditching your grandma’s coffee for newer, exciting and stylish versions…and customers are just fine with that.
Whether it’s kale or cacao nibs, you’ve probably heard or read about some ingredient that blasts fat or boasts millions of antioxidants. Though to a less extreme extent, 59 percent of coffee drinkers consider the health and wellness benefits of the coffee they buy and 57 percent want fresh, natural, or organic ingredients. NCDT may explain why Stockton Graham anticipated a shift from sweet to bitter treats in coffee shops. The Tropical Island Coffee & Café in Virginia sells jerk chicken and plantains along with coffee while Gourmet Garage suggests a mushroom and cheese risotto to complement a medium roast. Next time you want to eat out for dinner, you might want to peruse the menus of cafés nearby!
You can use apps to turn on the lights in your house, locate that groovy restaurant you’ve been dying to try, and now, ensure that your coffee is already waiting by the time you walk into the café. Research Director David Sprinkle stated at a National Coffee Association webinar, “Apps are changing the way that people are buying their coffee.” If your favorite coffee shop doesn’t already have an app, expect to click “order” on your phone sometime soon.
