The new generation of coffee snobs is turning its nose up at friends’ and family’s instant coffee because it can’t stand the taste. Almost a third (30%) of 18-34 year olds say they would downright refuse to drink a coffee offered to them unless it was made using fresh beans, capsules or bags.
The national research by Lyons Coffee Bags, which looked into the nation’s coffee drinking habits, found that 39 per cent of millennials are consuming three or more cups of fresh coffee every day. With the majority claiming it was their favourite drink of choice.
And despite spending £2,015* a year on coffee, over half (54%) believe fresh coffee is worth the extra expense because of its superior quality.
According to the young, savvy, coffee connoisseurs, it appears instant granules are becoming a thing of the past in favour of fresh coffee beans, capsules and bags, with a third claiming they simply taste better. But for one in ten, it’s simply about image, with fresh coffee appearing trendier than its freeze-dried counterpart.
Less than ten per cent of those polled admit that they’ve bought instant coffee compared to 61 per cent who regularly buy freshly ground coffee.
Three quarters of young people are now enjoying fresh coffee at home, not just in fancy coffee shops, with a quarter investing in their own coffee machine to get their coffee fix whenever they need it.
Young men appear to be the biggest coffee lovers, with 15 per cent revealing that they would never buy instant coffee, compared to ten per cent of women. Furthermore, two thirds of men drink over two cups of fresh coffee per day, compared to half of women.
Nicole Hartnell, brand manager at Lyons Coffee, said: “As a nation we love our coffee but instant definitely appears to be going out of fashion.
“Millennials are continuing to change coffee consumption patterns and behaviours and are most definitely driving the move towards gourmet, sophisticated coffee.
“Luckily there are plenty of convenient options for enjoying fresh coffee on the go, such as Lyons coffee bags, which contain 100% fresh ground coffee, but in a bag. Just as fresh, but a fraction of the price of high-street takeaway coffee, and much more environmentally friendly than coffee pods.”
Lyons Coffee also conducted research on the streets of Manchester to put different types of coffee to a taste test – can millennials really tell the difference between fresh and instant?
Watch the video here:
*Based on an average cost of £2.40 for a high street coffee, and the average consumption of 2.3 fresh coffees per day, based on Lyons Coffee’s research
*OnePoll surveyed 1,000 people in the UK, aged 18–34, in 2017
Lyons Coffee Bags are just like a tea bag, but coffee. Including 100 per cent freshly roasted coffee beans, sealed into individually wrapped bags, they are the most convenient, best tasting coffee bags on the market. The product is available in three different strength varieties, plus a decaf option and costs £2.60 from major retailers.