Drawing on over 60 years of industry research, a new series of NCA Market Snapshots take a closer look at the factors shaping the US coffee market in 2018 – and beyond.
Here are 10 stats from the latest NCA research on coffee industry trends:
via Food for Thought, by Stellar
By Scott Mark, VP Operations, Stellar
We’ve been talking about Millennials for years, and rightfully so: They are an influential subset of the population (those born between 1981 and 1996) who have significant buying power today.
However, in addition to considering the factors of today, the most successful food and beverage companies look ahead to prepare for the customers of tomorrow.
Enter: Generation Z.
4 in 5 consumers say they look forward to fall seasonal items the most
By Amanda Topper, Mintel
The following is an edited excerpt from the Mintel Blog. Read the full post
Wake up and smell the coffee: Pumpkin spice’s reign as top autumn coffee beverage may be coming to an end.
Menu mentions of pumpkin-flavored coffees declined 30% from Fall 2015-Fall 2017, according to Mintel Menu Insights. This decline was driven mainly by a few quick-service restaurants (QSRs).
By Brian Sudano, Managing Partner, Beverage Marketing Corporation
It’s been a scorcher on the East Coast so far this summer. But September is approaching soon – which means cooler weather and back-to-school season.
College students are a growing demographic: U.S. enrollment for public or private colleges is estimated to reach nearly 20 million in 2018. And their consumption habits offer some interesting insight into the next generation of trends.
In our recent BMC report, “U.S. College Student Beverage Consumption and Attitudes,” we took a deep dive into college student beverage consumption behavior, which we think is a great way to peer into the crystal ball of the future of the industry. We took an especially close look at student attitudes toward coffee, everyone’s favorite early eye-opener and late-night study aid.
Here’s what we found.
By Vanessa Facenda, Editor, Tea and Coffee Trade Trade Journal
The following post originally appeared on the Tea & Coffee Editor’s Blog
As spring rolls in, consumers start thinking about “form and function.” While this usually means getting “winter bodies” into shape, functionality is playing a greater role in beverages.
Earlier this year, NCA held a webinar entitled, “US Coffee Outlook 2018: Latest Market Trends and Future Market Growth.” Eric Penicka, senior research analyst with global market intelligence firm, Euromonitor International, who was the webinar presenter, noted that the key ingredients for the future are convenience and function. Both will lead to value growth.
By Eric Penicka, Research Analyst, Euromonitor International
In recent years, RTD coffee has been dramatically redefined by beverage manufacturers through the advent of cold brew coffee. Cold brew coffee is coffee brewed without heat, with coffee grounds steeped for several hours to extract flavor and caffeine. The end coffee is one which is naturally sweeter, less acidic, more caffeinated and ultimately more artisanal. This kind of coffee is different from traditional iced coffee, which is hot brewed coffee, iced or chilled, and in most cases sweetened and mixed with dairy.
While currently cold brew coffee is typically offered in on-trade establishments (which Euromonitor International would capture under fresh coffee beans consumed in the on-trade), coffee beverage manufacturers have been quick to identify the trend and produce cold brew coffee for RTD consumption. While still nascent, the dust surrounding RTD cold brew’s explosion has slowly begun to settle, with brands such as Stumptown, Califia, and High Brew emerging to define this new niche.
The following post is adapted from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health News
Science shows coffee can have major health perks at any temperature.
Summer’s hottest drink is also a healthy way to beat the heat.
Cold brew coffee — made by steeping coffee grounds in cold water overnight or longer — is just as healthy as regular coffee, according to Frank Hu, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in a recent Health.com article.
“As a regressive tax borne largely by consumers, the proposal can hurt […] hundreds of independent roasters, coffee shops, restaurants, retailers, and suppliers. Aimed at promoting a healthy diet, the tax would have the opposite effect if applied to coffee.” – William M. Murray, CEO, NCA
The Seattle City Council will vote on introducing a “soda tax” in the city on Monday. The measure would put a one-cent per ounce tax on sugary beverages, and would impact coffee as collateral damage. Furthermore, small businesses would be disproportionately affected.
The National Coffee Association has submitted the following letter to the City Council to express the industry’s strong position on how the tax would severely impact the local coffee economy and that coffee should be exempt should any soda tax be ratified.
Read the full NCA comment letter.
Is Seattle’s proposed soda tax also a tax on sugary lattes?
Tell the Seattle city council that levying a soda tax on coffee would have unintended and unanticipated consequences for the coffee industry and local businesses. Send an email to council@seattle.gov, or call 206-684-8888.
Comments? Share your thoughts in the comments below, or get in touch at info@ncausa.org.
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