US Coffee Market Report 2024

The US coffee market is experiencing a shift towards convenience and premium experiences, with a growing interest in instant coffee due to its convenience and quality. The market is stabilizing after a period of volatility, driven by consumer demand for both value and quality. Additionally, there is a focus on sustainability and innovation, with private-label products and diverse coffee formats enhancing accessibility and meeting modern consumer needs.

US Coffee and RTD Coffee Market – Current landscape

The coffee and RTD coffee category continues to adapt for different needs while delivering consistency for well-established ones. 1 in 3 Gen Z, Millennial and Gen X coffee consumers consider themselves a coffee enthusiast speaking to coffee’s evolution in the fourth wave. Still, ease remains the top priority for consumers when preparing coffee at home, suggesting that coffee and RTD coffee must balance convenience and quality.

While cold coffee drinks have certainly been all the buzz, almost 30% of consumers reported drinking more hot coffee compared to last year, driven by Gen Z and Millennials, suggesting that coffee routines and rituals can and should evolve alongside these variety seeking consumers. As work and hybrid lifestyles have evolved post-pandemic, consumers are still adapting and relying on coffee variety to meet different needs throughout the week. As a result – the idea of the morning coffee routine is evolving, too.

While the last five years have been more volatile for coffee, market growth is expected to steady as inflation continues to steady. However in the next five years, the entrance of a new coffee-drinking generation, Gen Alpha, suggests the need to continue to modernize and meet new needs and unlock new opportunities.

US Coffee and RTD Coffee Market Report – What’s inside?

Key topics analyzed in the Report

• Trended at home coffee consumption and trended usage of cream and creamer.
• Coffee preparation choice factors.
• Interest in coffee innovation.
• Associations with and seasonality of different coffee drinks.
• Coffee behavior changes.
• Associations with coffee compared to other caffeinated beverages.
• Coffee attitudes.

Report Scope

For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:

• Roasted coffee – ground and whole bean; regular and decaffeinated; unflavored and flavored.
• Single-cup coffee – cups and pods containing premeasured coffee for use in automatic single-cup coffee makers.
• Instant coffee – regular and decaffeinated; includes both powdered instant and liquid coffee concentrates.
• RTD (ready-to-drink) coffee – shelf-stable or refrigerated bottled/ canned single-serve prepared iced coffees and coffee drinks; refrigerated RTD coffee (half-gallons and single-serving).

This Report also includes cream/creamer sales and product trends including shelf-stable and refrigerated dairy and non-dairy creamers.

Excluded from this report are: coffee substitutes, flavorings and syrups, including those used to make specialty coffee drinks and frozen coffee beverages at home. Bulk-bin coffee beans (not packaged) are also excluded regardless of where they are sold. Also excluded are coffee sold through foodservice, such as coffee shops and restaurants, as well as vending machines.

Meet The Expert Behind the Analysis

This report is written Kelsey Olsen, Food & Drink Analyst at Mintel. Kelsey joined Mintel in 2022 as a US Food and Drink Analyst. Kelsey uses her expertise to identify changing consumer behavior, industry trends, and innovation across packaged food and drink categories. Kelsey has a B.A. in Nutrition with a concentration in Food Studies and Business from the College of St. Benedict in Minnesota.

Coffee can deliver fun and function, capturing enthusiasts and providing energy. Meeting demands for both (separately or simultaneously) is an ongoing opportunity.

Kelsey Olsen
Food & Drink Analyst