GROUNDS FOR CONCERN

Home Coffee Consumption Rockets to 14-Year High as Prices Surge

Americans are increasingly opting to get their caffeine fix at home, according to recent data.

Americans are drinking coffee at home at levels not seen in more than a decade, as rising prices and remote work reshape daily habits, according to industry data and analysts. Reuters reported on Tuesday that a survey released by the U.S. National Coffee Association found that 85 percent of people who drank coffee the previous day did so at home, the highest share in that category since 2012. The shift marks a reversal from pre-pandemic trends, when consumption at cafes had been rising. Among those who drank coffee outside the home, most said they did so at offices or via drive-through stops, while fewer said they had their caffeine fix at coffee shops. Analysts said hybrid work arrangements and surging prices are driving the shift. Gerd Müller-Pfeiffer, a former Nestlé executive and now an adviser to the coffee industry, said better quality home coffee equipment is also a factor. “Home machines now deliver near out-of-home quality,” he said. On average, U.S. coffee drinkers consume 2.8 cups daily.