Almost Half of Coffee Drinkers Consume Plant-Based Coffee out of Home: study

Now a daily habit for more than three million Brits, plant-based coffee is no longer niche.

Almost half of coffee drinkers now regularly drink plant-based options out of home, with the figure set to continue rising, according to new research commissioned by plant-based retailer Alpro For Professionals.

Alpro’s research found that 48% of coffee drinkers are now regularly choosing plant-based options on the go, with taste, health and environment among the biggest motivations for doing so. Meanwhile, only one in five of all coffee drinkers report that they have yet to try a plant-based alternative out of home.

Three out of 10 coffee drinkers (28%) revealed that they now choose a plant-based coffee shop option at least once a week, whilst one in 14 said they opt for plant-based coffees on the go every day, suggesting that plant-based coffees are surging in popularity.

“Our new research shows there is a massive opportunity for coffee outlets of all shapes and sizes to make sure they are making the most of plant-based during the year to come,” Abbie Hickman, Head of Coffee Marketing for Alpro UK & Ireland, said.

“No longer a niche offering, plant-based has now firmly hit the mainstream as a choice for an ever-increasing number of coffee drinkers, irrespective of their dietary persuasion.”

Across the UK, it is estimated that 21 million plant-based coffee drinks are now being served each week, with more than two out of five (44%) of all the coffee drinkers surveyed saying that they will ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ be planning to drink more plant-based coffee during the coming year.

Among British coffee drinkers, men aged 34 and under are most likely to start adding plant-based into their out of home orders with taste, health and environment being the biggest motivations.

The data also showed that almost half of coffee drinkers (45.5%) say it’s now important to them that their favourite coffee shop offers plant-based alternatives. One in four coffee drinkers (25%) say they are more likely to be a regular visitor to the same outlet if it offers a good range of plant-based alternatives.

A similar number of all coffee drinkers (27.7%) say they now want to see more plant-based drinks options on menus, with Soya, Almond, Coconut and Oat options making up their favourite serves.

“To make the most of this opportunity, baristas and coffee shop owners should add a broad choice of plant-based options to their menu,” Hickman said.

*Article courtesy of our partner QSR Media.