On average, 65% of people drink three or more cups of coffee each day at work, so it's no surprise that a top-notch office coffee program is important. We're seeing a lot of change in the office coffee landscape, and millennials seem to be the ones driving it. Here are the trends we predict will change the future of office coffee.
4 Office Coffee Trends That Engage Millennial Employees
1. Higher Quality Coffee
Bloomberg research shows that millennials are pushing U.S. coffee demand to historic records, and 44% of female millennials are spending more money on their daily caffeine fix than they are saving for retirement -- so, it's safe to assume that "hot and black" coffee just won't cut it for them anymore.
The National Coffee Association reports that between 2008 and 2016, consumption of gourmet coffee beverages soared from 13% to 36% among 18-24 year olds, and from 19% to 41% for those 25-39. And, for the first time ever, less than half of all coffee drinkers use drip coffee brewers. Millennials are more invested in espresso-based beverages and making their coffee using different brewing methods, like pourover or French Press.
2. Sustainable and/or Cause-Based Coffee
Sustainable coffees are more prevalent than ever with the rise of certifications like Fair Trade, Organic, and Rainforest Alliance. Millennials are asking the tough questions like, "Where does this coffee come from?" and "Are the workers treated fairly?". They also care about cause-based coffee programs (like our partnership with Neverthirst), where a percentage from each cup of coffee is donated to charity.
3. Tea Matters Too
In December 2016, Packaged Facts reported that tea sales were up almost 6 percent, just over $7 billion. Millennials are more health-conscious than their predecessors, and 42% of them actually prefer tea over coffee!
4. Pantry Service
Millennials place a "positive company culture" high on their workplace checklist and employers are looking to retain their young employees -- so how do you seamlessly combine the two? Add the benefit of a workplace pantry, where employees can indulge in everything from sweet snacks and beverages to sandwiches and salads! Adding complimentary food and beverages leads to happy employees (and can be less expensive than other benefits!). Plus, your employees will work longer and be more productive (because no one works well when they're hungry, am I right?).
Want more information on how you can implement these trends in your workspace? Here's how we can change your office coffee program.
