Office Coffee Consumption in the UK sees major growth

Over the last 3 years, the value of office coffee consumption in Europe has increased on average by more than 6% per year, and is now estimated to be worth around £2.7BN.

According to new research by CoffeeBI, it is estimated that, in the UK specifically, just under half (44%) of coffee consumed out of home is consumed in the workplace, and this is estimated to be worth around £232m to the UK economy. The figures are staggering, and the importance of office coffee cannot be ignored.

Britons might be known for their love affair with tea, but these days we’re a nation of coffee connoisseurs.

Research has found that since 2008, the UK’s daily coffee consumption has soared from 70 million to 95 million cups! A recent survey showed that Brits drink twice as much coffee as they do tea, and the amount of coffee we drink is increasing rapidly year-on-year. Consumers in the UK are developing a much deeper understanding of the coffee they drink, and consequently the expectations of the average consumer have grown massively. Gone are the days when we would settle for a cup of instant coffee, nowadays we’re coffee experts, and we expect the best quality coffee wherever we are, whether that’s a coffee shop, hotel lobby or office tea point.

Did you know? In the UK, we favour a milk-based drink, with lattes, cappuccinos and flat whites making up 3 of the nation’s top 4 drinks. Our own data from CoffeeCloud, shows that flat whites are the most popular beverage amongst TopBrewer UK & Ireland customers, with more than 1 million served in 2018.

One major area where coffee consumption has boomed in recent years is in the workplace. The coffee machine is a vital aspect of the modern office, and according to the 2017 Leesman Index, 82% of respondents said that tea, coffee and refreshment facilities were a highly important factor in their physical work environment. For many, the workplace and coffee go hand in hand. We start our days with a trip to the coffee machine, and use coffee breaks as a way to escape our desk and workload for a few minutes throughout the day. More than just providing a caffeine boost, the office coffee machine can become a social hub for any workplace. According to research carried out by Staples, 84% of workers drink coffee every day, and they feel like their day hasn’t started until they’ve had their first cup. For many employees, no matter the industry they work in, a top-quality coffee experience at work is expected as a minimum.

At Scanomat UK & Ireland, we recently carried out our own survey of mixed profile premium workplace users and found that there is immense value in introducing a premium bean-to-cup coffee machine, such as TopBrewer, to the workplace, with 90% of respondents indicating that TopBrewer would improve their overall workplace experience. See the results here

Enhance the employee experience with top-quality coffee

Businesses, architects and office designers are realising they can take advantage of the benefits that come with providing great coffee for employees. Not only relating to the health benefits of the coffee itself, but also the intangible rewards for the employees and business, including a boost in morale and productivity, increased creativity and encouraging collaboration between teams as they catch up with a coffee. 

In a recent blog post titled “What is it about coffee?”, Steve Brewer of Workplace Consultants Burtt-Jones & Brewer said “When we are tasked to create a tailor made environment for a client, the conversation about coffee is a critical part of the briefing stage.” He goes on to say, “Often the subject of a staff ‘rest / cafe / break-out’ space comes along fairly quickly during the briefings, often with special requests. It can be the defining part of the brief, a key area that dictates how the rest of the floor space is laid out.”

This growth in coffee consumption in the workplace can be linked to the transformation of work methods in recent years. The office of the past, with rigid structures and individual cubicles has been replaced by a modern approach, with spaces being designed with the specific company in mind, and with a focus on employee wellbeing and productivity. The “coffee break” is no longer seen as a waste of time, and companies now recognise that taking a few minutes away from your desk to make a coffee and have a chat with colleagues can have a profound effect on productivity, happiness and overall wellbeing. As more research is carried out into the importance of employee wellbeing, office design is having to adapt and many architects now include a dedicated breakout zone or kitchen area with a bean-to-cup coffee machine to encourage employees to take a break and chat.

With the rise in popularity of the “coffice” luring staff away from the workplace to nearby coffee shops, many companies are now looking at ways to incorporate coffee culture into their workplace design, hoping they can reap the rewards of a more informal working environment.

Are you looking to improve your office coffee culture? Click here to find out how the innovative TopBrewer coffee machine can help you create the perfect coffee experience in the workplace.