30 Interesting Stats About the Coffee Shop Sector

Lots of people dream of running a cafe business; you get to join the exciting food service industry, meet new people and serve up tasty goodies. Although it's a competitive industry, it holds plenty of potential for aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly as we start to put the Covid-19 pandemic behind us. Here are some of the top coffee shop sector stats to whet your appetite.

Whether you’re on the lookout for a coffee shop franchise opportunity, or you’re learning how to open a coffee shop yourself, understanding the industry inside out is crucial. So, we’ve rounded up 30 of the most interesting - and important - statistics to help you build a profitable business.

30 interesting coffee shop sector stats

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1. Coffee is the world’s most popular drink - across the globe, we consume around two billion cups of the beverage every single day (British Coffee Association)
2. The UK is the fifth largest coffee consumer in Europe (Market Inspector)
3. The amount of coffee Brits drink is increasing - we now consume around 95 million cups daily across the UK (British Coffee Association)
4. Older people tend to drink more coffee - the average number of cups consumed average out at half for under-20s, 1.3 for millennials, 2.1 for Generation X and 2.2 for those in their 50s and over (Market Inspector)
5. Over a quarter (27 percent) of UK coffee drinkers consume more than two cups per day (Statista)
6. Brits prefer to drink coffee with milk, as opposed to consuming it ‘black’
7. The latte is the most popular type of coffee sold by cafes, followed by the cappuccino - UK coffee shops serve close to a billion lattes and around 800 million cappuccinos every year (Kantar Worldpanel)
8. Four in five UK households buy instant coffee, which is particularly popular among consumers aged 65 and up (British Coffee Association)
9. Ground coffee and single-serve coffee pods are becoming increasingly popular, especially among millennials, who make up 16 percent of the market for these types of products (British Coffee Association)
10. Nescafé is the most popular instant coffee brand in the UK (Statista)
11. Taylors of Harrogate is the most popular freshly ground coffee brand in the UK (Statista)
12. Every year, the UK imports £828 million of coffee (Statista)
13. France is the leading supplier when it comes to the UK’s coffee importation (Statista)
14. Up to 76 percent of the value of the average cup of coffee consumed in the UK is thought to be produced on British soil (British Coffee Association)
15. The UK coffee market expands by around 10 percent each year (Market Inspector)
16. Every year, the UK manufactures around 30,000 tonnes of coffee, worth over £200 million (Statista)
17. There are over 100 tea and coffee processing companies in the UK, which generate more than £2 billion in combined revenue (Statista)
18. The coffee industry accounts for over 210,000 jobs across the UK (British Coffee Association)
19. Experts suggest the coffee industry contributes around £9 billion (GVA) to the UK economy, and generates an output of over £17 billion (British Coffee Association)
20. In the UK, coffee drinkers consume 65 percent of their quota at home, 25 percent at work or while studying, and 10 percent in shops, bars and restaurants (Market Inspector)
21. Four in five people who visit coffee shops do so at least once a week, whilst 16 percent nip in on a daily basis (British Coffee Association)
22. Costa Coffee, Starbucks and Caffè Nero are the leading cafe brands in the UK
23. Costa Coffee is Europe’s largest cafe chain, with over 3,000 branches - Starbucks has 2,800, but over 14,800 in North America, where it’s the leading coffee shop sector brand (Statista)
24. A decade ago, Costa Coffee had just under 200 branches in the UK - now, it has over 2,400
25. As 96 percent of hotel and catering franchises are profitable, businesses in the coffee shop sector have a three-percent higher success rate than the 93-percent industry average (BFA-NatWest)
26. Tesco is the leading retailer for the coffee sector, with a 29 percent market share (Market Inspector)
27. Almost three quarters of coffee drinkers want cafes to be more transparent about where and how they get their supplies (Allegra World Coffee Portal)
28. More than four in 10 cafe visitors say they’re put off by queues (Allegra World Coffee Portal)
29. Brits celebrate International Coffee Day on the 1st October, as well as UK Coffee Week, which raises money for Project Waterfall, helping global communities access clean water and sanitation
30. Coffee is now one of the most heavily researched products on the planet, and experts release new data on a regular basis (British Coffee Association)

Covid-19 has provided the coffee market with a temporary boost, as the nationwide lockdown brought out-of-home coffee to the home overnight. As the lockdown continues to be eased, however, more coffee occasions are expected to shift back out of home, albeit to a lesser extent than previously. Whilst coffee in retail is viewed as a good value option, the recession will put pressure on brands to prove their value proposition.

– Amy Price, Senior Food & Drink Analyst

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Join the coffee shop sector today

Do you feel inspired to start running your own business in the coffee shop sector? If so, you’re in luck - there are countless high-quality opportunities across the UK to get your very own cafe up and running. From household-name brands to van-based mobile businesses, you’ll find lots of different options when it comes to choosing a coffee shop sector franchise.

If you invest in a coffee shop franchise, your franchisor will guide you through every aspect of the set-up process. Plus, they’ll provide ongoing support in a range of different areas as you continue to develop your business.

Take a look at our current selection of exciting coffee shop sector franchise opportunities to kick-start a new career journey.