Specialty coffee consumption in the United States is experiencing a notable uptick, driven largely by younger demographics, according to the latest joint report from the National Coffee Association (NCA) and the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).
Released as a companion to the NCA’s biannual National Coffee Drinking Trends (NCDT) report, the NCA/SCA survey, conducted in January 2024 among nearly 1,800 U.S. adults, focuses specifically on the specialty coffee market. While the report doesn’t offer a precise definition of specialty coffee beyond “premium whole bean or ground varieties” that differ from traditional coffee, it underscores a significant increase in its popularity.
The survey reveals that 45% of respondents reported consuming some form of specialty coffee within the past day, marking the highest proportion since before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and a 4% increase from the previous year.
Among age demographics, the 25-39 group emerged as the most enthusiastic consumers of specialty coffee, with 66% indicating they had consumed it within the past week. This figure surpasses the consumption rates of other age brackets: 56% for ages 18-24, 57% for ages 40-59, and 46% for ages 60 and above.
Moreover, the report highlights a notable rise in past-week specialty coffee consumption across all age groups compared to 2023, with the most significant gains observed among the youngest and oldest consumers, each showing a 5% increase.
The findings underscore a clear trend towards increased consumption of specialty coffee among younger Americans, reflecting evolving preferences and habits within the coffee market landscape.