UK customers are drinking more and more coffee out of the home. If you’re a coffee shop proprietor, we hope you’ll have seen the evidence in your till. If you’re in another line of catering, perhaps it’s time to lease a commercial coffee machine. You’ll have seen the trends for yourself, whatever your area of specialism. New independent coffee shops springing up even in small towns, while the big chain coffee providers show no sign of suffering from the specialist competition.
But did you know that coffee sales growth isn’t just coming to the independents. And independent coffee shops aren’t doing any damage to the chains. So, where’s the extra coffee being consumed? According to news this week from market research firm NPD, the big coffee growth is happening in QSR (quick-service restaurants). That’s sandwich bars, bakeries and fast food joints.
What does this mean for you?
That if you’re involved in catering, you’ve got an opportunity. You just need the best commercial coffee machines for your market, some tasty product, and some barista training.
Because while specialist coffee chains have seen the number of coffees served rise by 21% over the last nine years, these QSRs’ sales have surged by 63%. That’s three times as much growth. Even your local boozer is getting in on the action, with servings up by 18%. Coffee machines for pubs are now all but compulsory.
The thing is, almost a fifth of the time, we’re not even stopping in the premises to enjoy our coffees. 17% of coffees bought away from the home are ordered to go. And that’s not just true of the big chain coffee shops or even the independent specialists. The advent of high-performance yet affordable bean-to-cup machines and vending machines means we’re picking up decent coffees at hotels, motorway service stations, supermarkets and even at the gym.
If you’re not capitalising on the UK’s still burgeoning love affair with coffee, perhaps it’s time you looked at the best bean-to-cup machines for your business, or consider leasing a better espresso machine to meet a demand that seems insatiable.