* [Ed. note: Millennial translation gifs available here]

Millennials are really into their coffee. (It’s no coincidence that BuzzFeed recently launched their own roast … sold through a personality quiz.)

But not all cups are created equal.

Just like the cloud, “coffee” often means something different for the 19-35 year old demographic than it does for previous generations. In fact, Millennial behavior and attitudes are transforming the coffee market. (For starters, they really love espresso.)

But what do these changing consumption trends mean for the future of the coffee industry?

In order to understand what’s driving these changes, the National Coffee Association partnered with Dig Insights for a first-ever analysis of how different age groups are drinking – and thinking.

The resulting research, “The NCA Generational Report: Coffee Through the Ages,” takes a deeper look at the latest coffee consumption data across these demographics to highlight trends and opportunities.

Highlights from the report include: 

• 70% of past-day coffee consumed by Millennials is gourmet beverages; 30% is non-gourmet.
• 32% of Millennials consumed an espresso-based beverage yesterday, which is higher than any other demographic.
• 14% of Millennials drank a non-espresso based beverage past-day.
• 15% of past-day coffee drinkers consumed their coffee at a cafe/ coffee shop/ donut shop; this is the highest segment for this consumption location.
• About 65% if Millennials are aware of single-cup brewers, significantly lower than older age groups.

For more insight into the latest coffee market research:

Related Reading: From Brew Boomers to the Gourmet Generation: National Coffee Drinking Trends 2017

On Demand Webinar: The NCA Generational Report: Coffee Through the Ages – available for NCA members only

Get the Report: Purchase the NCA Generational Report