Key Coffee Statistics:
- About 62% of Americans drink coffee on a daily basis, while 70% have at least one cup of coffee every week.
- 65% of coffee consumed is during breakfast, with another 30% being consumed over time during the day.
- Most people consider coffee to be as addictive as certain drugs, and some even call it a drug.
- About 79% of Americans make their own coffee at home.
- About 12% of Americans have their own espresso machine at home.
- Europeans drink more coffee than people on any other continent, with 67% having at least one cup every day.
- Finland drinks more coffee than any other country, with Finnish people consuming 9 cups of coffee per day on average.
- A person in the US consumes about 3 cups of coffee per day on average.
- Millennials make up the largest segment of coffee drinkers worldwide.
- Brazil is the largest producer and exporter of coffee in the entire world, with 37% of the global market share alone.
Worldwide & U.S. Coffee Consumption Statistics
Number of Coffee Drinkers
- There are over 1 billion estimated coffee drinkers globally.
- About 64% of adults in the U.S. have at least one cup of coffee every day.
- About 67% of Europeans are estimated to drink coffee regularly.
- Over 170 million Americans drink coffee on a regular basis.
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. In fact, it is the main preferred way for people in the United States to caffeinate. Around 70% of people in the United States drink some coffee during their week, while 64% drink at least one cup every single day.
There aren't exact statistics regarding the number of global coffee consumers. However, it can be estimated that there are well over one billion. The highest concentration of coffee consumers tends to be in Europe. However, parts of South America and the Middle East also have high coffee consumption rates.
Percentage of People Who Drink Coffee
- At least 15% of the world population drinks coffee regularly, but the percentage of coffee drinkers varies widely from country to country.
- Europeans drink the most coffee, with about 67% of Europeans consuming coffee regularly.
- About 64%, or 2 out of every 3 Americans, is a regular coffee consumer.
The percentage of people who drink coffee is usually calculated on a country-wide basis. There aren't statistics regarding how many people globally consume coffee. But with over a billion global drinkers, we can estimate that more than 15% of the global population drinks coffee.
Europe has the highest concentration of coffee drinkers. In some places where tea is more prominent, the coffee drinking population is lower than in the U.S. But in places like Finland and Sweden, nearly everybody drinks coffee.
In Finnish culture, coffee is a regular part of each meal. You might even be considered rude if you decide not to have any. The average Finnish person has 9 cups of coffee a day, with around 5 being the bare minimum. While there are a select few who choose not to partake in coffee drinking, it's fairly rare.
* = 1000s of 60-pound bags of dry beans.
** = total pounds of dry coffee consumed per year.
Coffee Consumption by Country
Coffee is consumed almost universally in Finland. It is a regular part of mealtimes and daily life. Some people in Finland claim that they have 30 cups of coffee per day, though doctors have warned that this comes with health risks.
The other largest consumers of coffee are positioned similarly to Finland. Most importantly, they are all northern countries that have extremely long nights during the winter. If you only get three hours of sunlight per day, you need caffeine to keep you awake throughout the rest of your waking hours.
Coffee may seem like a quintessential part of an American lifestyle. But the United States is only the 26th largest consumer of coffee per person. People in the U.S. consume just a little over 1/3rd the amount of coffee per year that people in Finland do.
Average Coffee Consumption Per Day
- In the U.S., studies indicate that the average person drinks about 3 cups of coffee per day.
- The average size of a cup of coffee is 9 ounces.
- About 2/3rds of all coffee consumption happens during breakfast. Another 30% happens gradually between meals.
- Men are more likely to drink coffee daily for productivity, while women are more likely to drink coffee daily for relaxation.
People in Finland drink about 9 cups of coffee per day on average. Nearly everyone in Finland drinks some coffee on a daily or weekly basis. In the United States, coffee consumption is much more moderate, with people having an average of 3 cups per day.
A cup of coffee is about 9 ounces on average. That means that people in the United States consume about 27 ounces of coffee every day. People in Finland consume about 81 ounces.
About 90% of coffee drinkers have coffee with breakfast. But only 65% of all coffee consumption happens during breakfast. That's because after having a morning cup of coffee, many people choose to have more coffee throughout the day. Only 5% of coffee consumption is during meals other than breakfast.
About 29% of people in the U.S. state that part of the reason they drink coffee is for relaxation. Women are more likely to use coffee as a relaxation tool than men. The other most common reason to drink coffee is to improve energy and alertness, especially in the morning.
Average Espresso Price
- The average cost for all espresso-based drinks is about $3.45.
- Espresso drinks vary in price depending on how many shots and add-ons there are.
- An Americano, which is a combination of espresso and water, has an average cost of $2.62.
- About 12% of Americans use at-home espresso machines to make their coffee.
It's difficult to calculate the average price of espresso. Espresso shots are usually the base of a drink. While you can order one shot alone, it would come in a very small cup.
The most popular espresso-based drink in the United States is an Americano. This uses a combination of water and espresso, as opposed to just brewing normal coffee. Espresso uses Arabica beans, while normal pots of coffee use Robusta beans.
If you're looking for specialized drinks like lattes or mochas, espresso is generally used as the base. The more complex the drink, the more it will cost. Lattes use a combination of milk and espresso. Some coffee shops also have their own espresso-based drinks. Starbucks is famous for having one of the largest espresso-based menus in the world.
Average Coffee Price
- Americans spend an average of $2.70 for coffee without milk.
- Brewed coffee costs an average of $2.38, while espresso drinks tend to be more expensive.
- About 65% of Americans prefer cream and sugar in their coffee, while 35% are willing to drink their coffee black.
- Coffee costs much less if it's brewed at home with your own coffee grounds or beans.
Coffee tends to be cheaper than espresso. This may be due to a combination of factors. One factor is that you can brew a large amount of coffee in bulk, while espresso is brewed one shot at a time. Another note is that people are more likely to order black coffee than lone shots of espresso.
As with espresso drinks, you can expect to pay more for coffee if you get add-ons like milk, sugar, and flavor shots. As a general rule, coffee is brewed with Robusta beans because these have a higher caffeine content than Arabica. This allows a greater amount of caffeine to enter a cup even if the grounds are watered down.
Coffee Drinker Demographics
Which age group drinks the most coffee?
- Millennials drink more coffee worldwide than any other age demographic.
- Millennials have the highest rate of coffee consumption in coffees including South Africa, Russia, Turkey, Colombia, India, and Mexico.
- About 48% of millennials state that they prefer drinking gourmet coffee to other alternatives.
- In 2016, a study showed that American millennials spend more on coffee than on retirement contributions.
Millennials have the most favorable attitude toward coffee around the globe. They are more likely to drink coffee than older and younger people alike. Most millennials these days are between the ages of 25 and 42, meaning that they make up the majority of the work force.
Coffee is a very important part of many millennials' lifestyles, regardless of which country they're from. Studies conducted in the United States show that millennials are more likely to purchase coffee than to save funds for retirement.
Millennials often save money by brewing their coffee at home instead of buying it from a coffee shop. About 4 out of every 5 Americans makes their coffee at home. Typically, they use a standard coffee pot. A handful of people have their own espresso machines, but since these are expensive and complicated, they're not a huge priority for most.
Do men or women drink more coffee?
- Men Coffee consumption among men and women is very similar, and the percentages fluctuate depending on the country.
- 66% of women compared to 62% of men drink coffee everyday in the U.S.
- In the United States, more women drink coffee than men on average, but only by a little.
Men and women seem to drink about the same amount of coffee. The percentage of each demographic varies depending on the country. Most countries show that coffee consumption is about average with men and women. Cultural factors may influence how much coffee each gender drinks.
In the United States, 64% of people have at least one cup of coffee every single day. That includes about 66% of women and 62% of men. So while women do drink more coffee in the U.S., it's by only a few percentage points. Women and men functionally drink the same amount of coffee.
One interesting note is that women in the U.S. are more likely to say that they're drinking coffee to relax. Men in the U.S. tend to drink coffee as a way to maintain energy and focus. But the gender divide isn't sharp, as many women also drink coffee for energy, and many men drink coffee in order to relax.
What race drinks the most coffee?
- The non-Hispanic white population consumes the most coffee (605.5 g/day or 20.3 oz).
- The least coffee is consumed by non-Hispanic Black (371.8 g/day) and non-Hispanic Asian groups (368.5 g/day or 12.4 oz).
Europeans are by far the biggest consumers of coffee in the world. People from Nordic countries like Finland, Denmark, and Sweden consume even more. So Nordic Europeans are the ethnicity that seems to drink the most coffee.
Coffee is a key part of the culture in Finland, Sweden, and Denmark. Studies indicate that the culture evolved because caffeine is a vital component of staying awake during Nordic winters. It's possible that this influences parts of the United States, too. Seattle, one of the northernmost climates in the country, is the U.S. capital of coffee.
Certain parts of South America are also prone to high coffee consumption. Brazilians drink a lot of coffee, which may be expected, since Brazil produces over a third of the global coffee share. Colombians also tend to drink a lot of coffee. It's also worth noting that Arabica beans from Colombia tend to be more expensive than any other coffee in the world.
Consumer Behavior
- Studies show that 2 out of every 3 adults in the United States drinks coffee as part of their breakfast.
- About 79% of adults in the United States make their coffee at home.
- Only around 35% of coffee drinkers like black coffee, with the other 65% preferring to add cream, sugar, and/or flavoring.
- 48% of millennials, or nearly half, prefer gourmet coffee over standard grounds.
Coffee shops are incredibly popular not just in the United States, but also worldwide. At the same time, most people prefer to make coffee at home. This is a cost-saving measure that can save hundreds of dollars per year.
Coffee is a key component of 2/3rds of all breakfasts in the United States. But about 4 in 5 Americans brew their coffee themselves. Most use coffee pots, while about 12% have their own espresso machines for fancier coffee.
A little over one-third of people in the United States drink black coffee. Others prefer milk, sugar, flavoring, or other additives.
Coffee Industry
- There are $5.2 billion in annual revenue from retail coffee sales in the US.
- In South America, over 81.5 million coffee bags were produced just in 2018.
- Brazil is one of the largest exporters of coffee in the world, shipping out over 5.7 billion pounds annually.
- The priciest coffee in the world is Arabica coffee harvested from Colombia.
Coffee Shop Statistics
- There are around 24,000 coffee shops in the US, with Seattle being the coffee capital of the country.
- The average coffee shop sells around 230 cups per day.
- The greatest concentration of Starbucks stores is in Monaco, where there are 52 stores per 1,000,000 residents.
- Coffee shops grow at a rate of 7% yearly, making them a fast-growing part of the restaurant sector.
Coffee Plants
- Coffee plants have an average lifespan of about 50 years, but it's possible for them to live up to a century.
- Arabica coffee beans don't have as much caffeine as Robusta beans, which is why Arabica is used for espresso and Robusta for normal coffee.
- One coffee plant can yield around 5 pounds of coffee beans every year.
- Brazil produces about 2.5 million tons of coffee beans from the country's coffee plants every year.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the #1 coffee drinking country?
- Finland has the highest coffee consumption in the world.
- Finnish people drink about 9 cups of coffee per day on average.
- Some Finnish people state that they drink 30 cups of coffee every day, or around three entire pots.
- Finnish people drink 12 kgs worth of coffee per year on average.
Which city drinks the most coffee?
- In the United States, Seattle and Tacoma have the highest concentration of coffee shops and coffee drinkers.
- The city with the largest number of coffee drinkers globally is Helsinki, Finland.
- Rome in Italy also has a high percentage of coffee drinkers, and the culture around coffee is much more ritualized than in other places.
Who invented coffee?
- Coffee has been used by different cultures around the globe for at least 1,000 years.
- Coffee was brewed as a drink in Yemen as early as the 1400's.
- While there's no information about who exactly discovered coffee, there are many different myths and folktales about it.
- Instant coffee was invented in 1909 by an inventor named George Washington.
Who is the largest producer of coffee in the world?
- Brazil is the largest global coffee producer and has 37.4% of the total market share.
- In 2020, Brazil produced 63.4 million bags of coffee.
- Vietnam is the second largest global coffee producer with 17.1% of the total market share.
- The next two countries that are top coffee producers, Colombia and Indonesia, have a combined 15.5% of the total market share.
Where is the coffee capital of the world?
- There are several different coffee capitals of the world depending on the metrics you use.
- Vienna, Austria is considered a world capital of coffee due to its many beautiful cafes. Filtered coffee is said to originate here.
- Melbourne is considered the capital of coffee in Australia because of the many independent cafes and unbeatable taste.
- Seattle is the capital of coffee in North America, with more coffee shops per person than any other place in the United States, Canada, or Mexico.