It probably won't come as a great surprise to leave that coffee is the most popular drink globally, with around two billion cups consumed daily. Despite being synonymous with drinking tea, the UK has a huge coffee culture, drinking approximately 98 billion cups of coffee per day. The UK is Europe's fifth-largest coffee market, consuming 175,000 tonnes from June 2020 to June 2021 - at least two cups per person per day.
So, the demand for coffee is high, but what exactly do customers want? Consumers want sustainably sourced, quality coffee with various personalisation options to suit individuals.
Sustainability plays a significant role for today's eco-conscious consumers, with this going beyond the usual 'so-last year.' certifications to what can seem like a full due diligence style ensuring fair trade throughout the supply chain. The key things that students want from their coffee are to know that it's both ethically-sourced and environmentally-friendly.
The importance of sustainability has been increasing among UK students as they become more aware of how their food and drink consumption impacts the environment. According to a survey carried out at the University of the West of England, 70% of students said that there should be more sustainable food options on campus. Additionally, 30% admitted that it was unclear which food options were sustainable when making purchases on campus, while 60% stated that they would like to understand more about sustainable food.
