A new American study has shown a surge in the number of adults in the United States (US) consuming specialty coffee over the past 14 years.
According to the National Coffee Association’s (NCA) Specialty Coffee Report, 46 per cent of American adults had specialty coffee in the past day, which is up 84 per cent from 2011. This percentage also surpassed past-day traditional coffee consumption, which stands at 42 per cent.
The NCA says growth in specialty coffee signals the overall popularity of coffee in the US, as outlined in the association’s full Spring 2025 National Coffee Data Trends (NCDT) report that showed 66 per cent of Americans had a coffee in the past day.
“Coffee’s remarkable ability to meet coffee drinkers’ evolving needs and preferences over time is one of the many reasons it remains America’s favourite beverage,” says Bill Murray, CEO and President of NCA.
“While specialty coffee’s rise in popularity has now reached record levels, traditional coffee remains a staple, too.
“Consumers’ interest in specialty coffee also coincides with a growing interest in health and wellness. Decades of robust, independent scientific evidence has shown that coffee drinkers live longer, healthier, happier lives.”
The report was conducted by Dig Insights and was released in partnership with the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).
“We’re thrilled to collaborate with the NCA on the NCDT Specialty Coffee Report. These findings affirm what our community has long believed – specialty coffee isn’t just growing; it’s becoming a defining part of how people experience coffee today,” says Yannis Apostolopoulos, CEO of SCA.
Key findings of the report include:
- The report revealed that 64 per cent of 25 to 39-year-olds drank specialty coffee in the past week, more than any other age group.
- The findings also highlighted that past-day specialty coffee drinkers’ favourite method of coffee preparation is the drip coffee maker, with 36 per cent choosing to have their coffee made this way.
- American adults’ favourite type of roast is a medium roast, according to the report, with 62 per cent of past-day specialty coffee drinkers enjoying this type of coffee in the past day, up 35 per cent since 2020.
- The report also found past-day specialty coffee drinkers are more likely to have their coffee prepared out-of-home (35 per cent) than past-day traditional coffee drinkers (20 per cent).
In the report, specialty coffee is defined as any espresso-based beverage, non-espresso-based beverages like frozen blends, cold brew, nitro; and traditional coffee that consumers perceive to be brewed from premium coffee beans/grounds.
Click here to read the full report.
