Coffee is a routine beverage for most American adults and a large global commodity market. In Spring 2024, 67% of American adults had coffee in the past day and 75% had it in the past week, according to the NCA Spring 2024 NCDT. The International Coffee Organization reported 178.534 million bags of world coffee consumption in 2022, while its 2021/22 estimate was 175.6 million bags.
Contents
- U.S. coffee participation
- Age differences in daily coffee use
- Specialty coffee and drink choices
- At-home preparation and ready-to-drink coffee
- Coffee prices in the United States
- Global coffee consumption
- Regional and country-level demand
U.S. coffee participation
The National Coffee Association’s Spring 2024 NCDT separates recent coffee participation into two useful measures: consumption on the previous day and consumption during the previous week. The difference between the two shows that coffee reaches more adults over a week than on any single day.
- 67% of American adults had coffee in the past day in Spring 2024. Source: NCA Spring 2024 NCDT.
- 75% of American adults had coffee in the past week in Spring 2024. Source: NCA Spring 2024 NCDT.
- 57% of American adults had specialty coffee in the past week in Spring 2024. Source: NCA Spring 2024 NCDT.
These figures describe American adults and the Spring 2024 measurement period. They are participation percentages, not estimates of cups consumed. The past-day and past-week measures also should not be treated as additive: the same person can appear in both groups.
The specialty figure places newer coffee formats within a broad mainstream habit. More than half of American adults had specialty coffee during the week measured, while the overall past-week coffee figure was higher. Because the source reports these as separate measures, the data do not establish how many specialty servings each participant had or how specialty coffee compares with traditional coffee for an individual drinker.
Age differences in daily coffee use
Daily coffee participation varied substantially by age in the Spring 2024 NCDT. Adults age 60 and older had the highest reported past-day rate among the supplied age groups, while adults age 18–24 had the lowest.
| Age group | Had coffee in the past day, Spring 2024 |
|---|---|
| 18–24 | 47% |
| 25–39 | 70% |
| 40–59 | 69% |
| 60+ | 73% |
Source for all rows: NCA Spring 2024 NCDT.
The reported rate was 47% among adults age 18–24, 70% among adults age 25–39, 69% among adults age 40–59, and 73% among adults age 60 and older. The supplied figures identify the age groups and measurement period but do not provide a breakdown by sex, income, region, number of servings, or preparation method.
This age pattern is a reminder that an overall adult rate can hide meaningful differences between groups. The 60+ rate was higher than the 25–39 and 40–59 rates in the same Spring 2024 survey, while the 18–24 rate was lower. These are descriptive survey results for that period; they do not by themselves explain why the rates differ.
Specialty coffee and drink choices
Specialty coffee was reported by 57% of American adults in the past week in Spring 2024. Within the supplied drink categories, lattes were the most commonly reported option, followed by espresso and cappuccinos.
- 18% of American adults enjoyed lattes in the past week in Spring 2024.
- 16% enjoyed espresso in the past week.
- 14% enjoyed cappuccinos in the past week.
Source for all four figures: NCA Spring 2024 NCDT.
The category percentages should not be added together. A person could have enjoyed more than one of these drinks during the week, and the supplied data do not say whether the categories are mutually exclusive. They are best read as separate indicators of reported drink choice.
The gap between the specialty-coffee participation rate and each named drink also matters. Specialty coffee includes more than the three listed beverages, but the supplied figures do not quantify the remaining formats. The available data therefore support comparisons among lattes, espresso, and cappuccinos, not a complete ranking of every specialty preparation.
At-home preparation and ready-to-drink coffee
The Spring 2024 NCDT also reports selected preparation and format measures. 37% of at-home coffee drinkers used drip coffee makers, and 28% used single-cup brewers. Those measures refer specifically to at-home coffee drinkers, rather than all American adults.
15% of past-day coffee drinkers used ready-to-drink coffee in Spring 2024. This denominator is different from the at-home denominator, so the ready-to-drink percentage should not be compared as if it measured the same population as the brewer figures.
| Measure | Share | Population and period |
|---|---|---|
| Drip coffee makers | 37% | At-home coffee drinkers, Spring 2024 |
| Single-cup brewers | 28% | At-home coffee drinkers, Spring 2024 |
| Ready-to-drink coffee | 15% | Past-day coffee drinkers, Spring 2024 |
Source for all rows: NCA Spring 2024 NCDT.
The two brewer figures indicate that drip and single-cup equipment were both prominent among the at-home coffee drinkers measured. They do not indicate exclusive ownership or exclusive use. A household or individual could use multiple brewing systems, and the supplied data do not provide frequency of use, equipment sales, or spending.
Coffee prices in the United States
The Bureau of Labor Statistics coffee-price CPI figures show different long-term and recent movements for coffee categories. In April 2024, coffee prices overall were 26.5% higher than in April 2010. Roasted coffee prices were 29.4% higher, while instant coffee prices were 8.9% higher over the same period.
| Category | Change from April 2010 to April 2024 | Change from April 2023 to April 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee | +26.5% | -2.0% |
| Roasted coffee | +29.4% | -1.9% |
| Instant coffee | +8.9% | -1.8% |
| Other beverages, including tea | +27.2% | Not supplied |
Source: BLS CPI coffee prices. The April 2024 figures are comparisons with the stated reference periods.
The same BLS data show that the coffee CPI was 2.0% lower in April 2024 than a year earlier. Roasted coffee CPI was 1.9% lower, and instant coffee CPI was 1.8% lower. These one-year declines occurred alongside prices that remained above their April 2010 levels in all three coffee categories.
For context, other beverages including tea were 27.2% higher in April 2024 than in April 2010. That comparison is not a coffee-only measure, so it should not be used as a substitute for coffee inflation. The supplied figures support a category comparison across the stated dates, but they do not provide retail prices, package sizes, or household spending totals.
Global coffee consumption
The International Coffee Organization’s Coffee Report and Outlook, published in April 2023, reported 175.6 million bags of world coffee consumption in 2021/22, up 4.2%. The same report gave a 2022 total of 178.534 million bags, up 1.7%. These are separate reporting periods and should not be treated as a single annual series without additional methodological detail.
For 2021/22, non-producers consumed 120.0 million bags, accounting for 69.0% of world consumption. Producers accounted for the remaining reported share in that period. In 2022, producers consumed 55.369 million bags, up 3.3%, while non-producers consumed 123.165 million bags. Producers accounted for 31.0% of world consumption in 2022.
The 2021/22 per-capita estimates also varied by region:
- World coffee consumption per capita was 1.4 kg.
- Europe was 4.5 kg per capita.
- North America was 5.1 kg per capita.
- Africa was 0.6 kg per capita.
- Asia & Oceania was 0.6 kg per capita.
Source for the global totals, producer split, and per-capita figures: ICO Coffee Report and Outlook, April 2023.
Per-capita measures provide a different lens from total bags. A region can have a high total because of population size, while a smaller region can have a higher per-person measure. The supplied ICO figures do not provide a forecast, so the 2021/22 and 2022 values should be read as reported consumption, not forward-looking projections.
Regional and country-level demand
Europe consumed 55.4 million bags in 2021/22, up 6.0%, and accounted for 32% of world coffee consumption. The EU27 consumed 41.8 million bags, representing 75.5% of Europe’s consumption. Russia consumed 4.3 million bags, down 9.4%, while Ukraine consumed 1.4 million bags, Belarus 0.4 million bags, and the UK 4.0 million bags. The UK coffee market grew 41.5% in 2021/22.
North America consumed 31.7 million bags in 2021/22, up 4.8%, with an 18.4% share of the world market. Africa consumed 12.9 million bags, up 2.6%. Caribbean, Central America & Mexico consumed 26.9 million bags, up 1.9%, while South America consumed 6.0 million bags, up 1.4%.
| Region or market | 2021/22 consumption | Reported change or share |
|---|---|---|
| Europe | 55.4 million bags | +6.0%; 32% of world consumption |
| North America | 31.7 million bags | +4.8%; 18.4% share |
| Africa | 12.9 million bags | +2.6% |
| Caribbean, Central America & Mexico | 26.9 million bags | +1.9% |
| South America | 6.0 million bags | +1.4% |
Source for all regional rows: ICO Coffee Report and Outlook, April 2023.
Within South America, Brazil accounted for 83.3% of the region’s coffee consumption in 2021/22. Argentina’s consumption rose 15.2% to 0.7 million bags. In Asia & Pacific, consumption grew 3.7%, and Korea, Australia, and Malaysia together added 0.9 million bags.
The ICO also reported 2022 regional totals of 13.403 million bags for Africa, 6.124 million bags for Caribbean, Central America & Mexico, 27.379 million bags for South America, 32.078 million bags for North America, 44.162 million bags for Asia & Pacific, and 55.388 million bags for Europe. These 2022 values use a different year label from the 2021/22 figures above, so direct changes should not be calculated from the supplied data alone.