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September 29, 2022 | NEW YORK – More young adults in the United States are drinking coffee than ever before, according to the latest “Atlas of American Coffee” released today (Thursday).
The National Coffee Data Trends (NCDT) report found coffee has reached record-high popularity with 18-24 year olds, with 51% having drank coffee in the past day, surpassing the record of 50% set in September 2020.
The exclusive, nationally representative polling also lifted the lid on America’s enduring love for coffee even amid rising concern over the cost of living.
The number of coffee drinkers who say their financial situation is worse than it was four months ago has increased by 59% since January, and six out of ten people now say that they are cautious about their spending habits.
Despite this, overall past-day coffee consumption (66% of Americans over 18) remains at the two-decade high first reached in January 2022. Coffee is more popular than any other beverage including tap water and is most popular in the Northeast, where 72% of adults have had a coffee in the past day.
Out of home coffee consumption (28% of past-day coffee drinkers) has yet to fully recover to pre-COVID levels (36% in January 2020), but coffee is making its way back to work - 36% of Americans have an in-office coffee station (up by 20% since January 2022).
The NCDT’s first-time research into the frequency of away-from-home coffee purchases found that 33% of past-week coffee drinkers buy coffee away from home at least four times per week, and another 56% buy coffee away from home 1-3 times per week.
NCA President and CEO William “Bill” Murray commented:
“Continuing its decades-long reign as America’s favorite beverage, coffee is also reaching new heights among young adults. The NCDT’s latest snapshot of consumer behaviors and attitudes reaffirms both coffee’s popularity and its resilience, as coffee drinkers continue to brew through challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and economic uncertainty.”
Other key NCDT findings include:
- In the past week, 63% of Americans over 18 had at least one traditional coffee, and 54% had at least one specialty coffee. The top three most popular specialty coffee beverages are lattes (17%), espressos (16%), and cappuccinos (15%).
- 32% of Americans had flavored coffee in the past week. Vanilla is the most popular flavor, followed by caramel and mocha.
- 30% of past-day coffee drinkers had cold coffee (includes cold brew, iced coffee, and frozen beverages).
For more information, including media highlights, and to purchase the complete NCDT, click here.
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For media inquiries, contact media@ncausa.org.
About the National Coffee Association
The National Coffee Association USA, Inc., (NCA), established in 1911, is the leading trade organization for the coffee industry in the United States. The NCA is the only trade association that serves all segments of the U.S. coffee industry, including traditional and specialty companies. A majority of NCA membership, which accounts for over 90% of U.S. coffee commerce, comprises small and mid-sized companies and includes growers, roasters, retailers, importer/exporters, wholesaler/suppliers, and allied industry businesses. Please visit ncausa.org to learn more.