What’s so Special About Coffee in the UK?

In the UK more people are making the switch to coffee

The UK has traditionally been known for their intense love for tea. Per capita residents consumed 153 liters of brewed tea in 2014, well above the global average of 33 liters.

It may come as a surprise that besides their obvious fondness of tea, the UK does consume quite a bit more instant coffee (25 liters per capita) than the global average (7 liters per capita).

However, most UK residents aren’t brewing their coffee. Many don’t have any desire to invest in an electric coffee machine that will only be used occasionally. Instead UK residents are relying on the same kettle they use to brew tea to make their instant coffee.

Read more: Capsule and Pod Coffee Machines

Premium micro-ground instant coffee

The introduction of super-premium instant coffee (the combination of instant coffee and finely ground roasted coffee beans) has made instant coffee the number one consumed coffee product in the UK, and led to the development of many various varieties, such as Starbucks Via, Jacobs Douwe Egbert’s Kenco Millicano WholeBean Instant, and Nestle SA’s Nescafe Azera Barista Style Instant Coffee.

Sales of which have increased instant coffee consumption in the UK by 20% between 2009-2014.

Are coffee pods the future for the instant coffee market in the UK?

There are still a large amount of people that are expected to make the switch from tea to coffee. The demand for coffee that’s in line with the needs of UK consumers is fueling the development of even more ways and varieties to enjoy premium coffees.

With more and more coffee shops opening in the UK, consumers have become more familiar with gourmet coffee drinks and want to replicate these drinks within their own home or office even if that means paying a higher price.

Some higher-income consumers are turning to fresh coffee pods to get their fix, sales of which grew by 215% between 2009-2014.

Offices with the need for large volumes of coffee for their workers are beginning to make the move to brewing machines that use coffee pods instead of traditional whole-bean or ground filter coffee.

These new coffee pod machines take instant coffee to the next level. They provide the consumer with the same level of convenience as instant coffee, but at the same time, are able to produce more sophisticated drinks such as, lattes, cappuccinos, or even cafe au lait. These additional features are especially useful for businesses that host a lot of client meetings and want to make a strong impression.

Future projections forecast continued growth for the coffee industry in the UK. However, with coffee’s popularity on the rise, unit prices in the UK are expected to grow by 9% between 2014-2019. So, it would be a smart move to buy that new coffee machine sooner rather than later.

Read more: Filter Coffee Machine

For further information about finding the right commercial coffee machines for you.

Written by Garth Thomsen