Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. While it is the second most-consumed drink in the world, there are some countries that put coffee at the top of their list! From black coffee and espresso to latte, cappuccino, and flat white – the choice is rather big.
With billions of coffee consumed on a yearly basis, what are some of the most important and interesting facts and statistics about its consumption? What countries drink the most amount of this beverage?
In today’s article, we’ll answer all these (and more!) questions with a focus on global consumption, as well as the consumption per country.
Keep on reading to get all the info you need!
10 Key Coffee Consumption Statistics (Editor’s Pick)
- People drink almost 170 million bags of coffee every year.
- Europe consumes 39.8% of the total amount of coffee.
- Worldwide coffee sales have decreased by 3.8% in 2020.
- Instant coffee accounts for 13% of all coffee consumed.
- 30 million American adults drink specialty coffee beverages.
- 2 coffee breaks are a must for all Finland workers.
- In Norway, 80% of the population drinks coffee.
- In Belgium, 39% of young people drink 1 cup of coffee per day.
- Tim Horton’s sells the most cups of coffee in Canada.
- In Australia, 75% of the entire population drinks coffee.
42 Coffee Consumption Statistics
1. Almost half of the world’s population drinks coffee every day.
According to Deals On Health, over 1 billion people around the world consume coffee every day. We’re talking about 30% to 40% of the world’s population! Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, right after water.
Source: Deals On Health
2. People drank almost 170 million bags of coffee in one year.
In 2020/2021, around 166.63 million 60-kilogram bags of coffee were consumed worldwide. According to the data by Statista, that number presents a slight increase from 164 million bags in the previous year. The coffee industry is definitely finding its selling path back again despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: Statista
3. By 2026, the coffee industry will reach a CAGR of almost 5%.
Speaking of the COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide coffee sales have decreased in 2020 by about 3.8% compared to 2019. However, the industry is recovering rather fast. In 2020, it was worth $102.02 billion and it is projected to reach a CAGR of 4.28% by 2026. And no doubt it will.
Source: International Coffee Organization
4. Central America consumes almost 4% of the total amount of coffee.
According to the data provided by Coffee Affection, Europe consumes the most coffee, 39.8% of the total amount of coffee. Asia follows with 25.9%, while North America consumes 22.6% of coffee. Africa comes in fourth with 7.9%. People of Central America consume 3.8% of coffee.
Source: Coffee Affection
5. Instant coffee accounts for more than 10% of all coffee consumed.
Instant coffee, also known as soluble coffee or coffee powder, is a type of coffee made from dried coffee extract. It is made by brewing more concentrated ground coffee beans. According to Roast and Post, instant coffee is so popular in the world, it accounts for 13% of all coffee drunk on a global basis.
Source: Roast and Post
6. Coffee is a perfect match with breakfast for most people.
The study conducted by Roast and Post states that coffee is mostly accompanied by breakfast. The data shows that 57% of coffee is drunk at breakfast, while 34% between meals. 13% of coffee is drunk at other meals such as lunch, dinner, and snacks. Coffee is mostly seen with breakfast due to the fact that it gives additional energy to the consumers and gets rid of tiredness.
Source: Roast and Post
7. Three 200 ml cups of coffee have the safest doses of caffeine for daily consumption.
According to doctors and researchers, the safe doses of caffeine in coffee are presented by only three 200 ml cups. However, when people consume 3 cups of coffee, they do it in those average cups so, at the end of the day, they drink too much caffeine. But nothing to worry about – even though people can get overdose with caffeine (theoretically), they must drink over 100 cups of coffee to be at that risk.
Source: Coffee Rank
8. With 3.3 kilograms of coffee consumption per capita, Europe is the largest market of coffee drinkers.
We already mentioned the fact that Europe consumes the highest amounts of coffee. In 2019, Europe was accounted for about a third of all coffee consumption on a global basis – with 3.3 kilograms of coffee consumption per capita annually. Speaking of coffee market share, Europe accounts for 30% of it.
Source: International Coffee Organization
9. Americans consume more than 450 million cups of coffee per day.
According to National Coffee Association, 63% of American adults drink coffee every day. That means that more than 450 million cups of coffee are consumed in the United States on a daily basis. Besides its high numbers of coffee consumption, the United States is one of the top 5 importers of coffee, along with Germany, France, Italy, and Canada.
Source: Nationa Coffee Association and World’s Top Exports
10. More than 80% of Americans consume caffeinated beverages.
Roast and Post reported that coffee presents three-quarters of all the caffeine consumed in the United States. Speaking of caffeine, PubMed stated that 85% of the US population consumes at least one caffeinated beverage per day. Besides coffee, they drink tea, Coca-Cola, energy shot drinks, and others.
Source: Roast and Post, PubMed, and Mayo Clinic
11. The Northeast region of the US consumes the most coffee per capita.
With a focus on coffee consumption in the United States, Statista conducted a study in 2020 for such consumption per US region. According to the data, the Northeast of the country consumes the most coffee per capita per day – 1.97 cups. The West follows with 1.9 cups per capita per day, while in the Midwest, the number of cups is 1.88. In the South, people consume the least number of coffees – 1.8 cups.
Source: Statista
12. More than 40% of Americans drink coffee because of its taste, not the energy boost.
The main reason behind the Americans’ passion for coffee consumption is coffee’s flavors. And Americans simply love it, well, at least 42.9% of them. Besides the taste, Americans love drinking coffee because of the better digestion and – because everyone else does it.
Source: Statista and Perfect Brew
13. About 30 million adults in the United States drink specialty coffee.
Specialty coffee, also known as gourmet coffee, presents 2 types – carefully cultivated coffee and flavored coffee. Carefully cultivated coffee is actually a specialty coffee, while flavored coffee is processed to produce a range of flavors, such as nuts or fruits. According to E-Importz, 30 million American adults drink specialty coffee beverages on a daily basis. That includes consuming mocha, latte, espresso, cappuccino, café mocha, iced/frozen coffee beverages, and others.
Source: E-Importz and Joe’s Garage
14. Coffee consumption is increasing in America.
Back in 2019, 1.8 million kilograms of coffee were consumed in North America. That high number presents an increase of about 3% since 2015. Today, coffee consumption has great increase. For example, in 2021, Americans alone had an increase of coffee consumption at work by 55%, while at cafés and restaurants by 20%. Overall, Americans drove a 16% increase in out-of-home coffee consumption once the COVID-19 restrictions have eased around the country.
Source: International Coffee Organization and National Coffee Association
15. The United States is ranked 25th in the terms of global coffee consumption.
The average US coffee drinker consumes somewhere between 2 and 3 cups of coffee each day, according to Statista. In the terms of global coffee consumption, the US ranks 25th in the list of countries that consume the most coffee per capita. Now, imagine how much coffee is consumed in some countries if Americans’ 450 million cups of coffee ranked the country only in 25th place.
Source: Statista and World Atlas
16. Millennials love their coffee.
National Coffee Association reported that Millennials love gourmet, espresso-based beverages. According to the report, 70% of all coffee consumed by Millennials is espresso-based. 32% of them consume such beverages every day. And that is higher than among any other demographic. 14% of Millennials drink non-espresso-based beverages on a daily basis.
Source: National Coffee Association and Urban Bean Coffee
17. Black coffee is consumed by 35% of Americans.
According to the data provided by Urban Bean Coffee, 35% of coffee consumers in the United States usually drink black coffee. Black coffee is typically brewed without the addition of milk, cream, sugar, or some added flavors. It is bitter, however, Americans, as well as the high number of people all around the world, really love a strong cup of black coffee.
Source: Urban Bean Coffee and HealthifyMe
18. Starbucks leads in 3 US regions.
According to the study conducted by WorkWise Software, Starbucks is the top searched coffee chain in the West, Midwest, and South. However, in the Northeast of the country, coffee consumers are loyal to Dunkin’ Donuts. On an average day, Dunkin’ Donuts sells about 60 cups of freshly brewed coffee each second.
Source: WorkWise Software and Taste of Home
19. In the UK, Baby boomers drink the most coffee per day.
Roast and Post stated that coffee consumption in the UK varies by age, or to be more specific, by generation. Those aged under 20, drink 0.5 cups per day. Millennials aged between 20 and 37 drink 1.3 cups of coffee, while Generation X aged between 38 and 52 drink 2.1 cups. Baby boomers aged between 53 and 71, and those older than 72 drink up to 2.2 cups of coffee per day.
Source: Roast and Post
20. Every tenth of coffee consumers in the UK drink 6 or more cups of coffee per day.
According to Statista, coffee consumers in the UK usually drink 2 cups of coffee per day. The data stated that only a tenth of coffee drinkers consume 6 or more cups on a daily basis. In 2020, consumers spent about 3.9 billion British pounds on coffee, cocoa, and tea.
Source: Statista
21. British drink almost 100 million cups of tea more than coffee.
Speaking of coffee and tea in the United Kingdom, there is really no doubt about what British drink more. According to the data provided by the financial site called This is Money, Britons drink around 165 million cups of tea, compared to 95 million cups of coffee. Now that is quite some gap.
Source: This is Money
22. In Finland, 2 coffee breaks are a must for all workers.
Finland is the biggest coffee consumer on a per-person basis in the world. The average Finn drinks at least 5 cups of coffee a day. On an annual basis, that is approximately 12 kilograms of coffee per person. According to World Population Review and multiple other sources, coffee is so popular in this country that two 10-minute coffee breaks are legally mandated for the workers there. Wow!
Source: World Population Review
23. Finns drink up to 8 cups of coffee every day.
According to Insider, coffee is drunk at every meal in Finland. And it is considered rude to turn down a coffee if someone offers it. The Insider stated that most people in Finland drink 5 to 8 cups of coffee a day, including in the evening too.
Source: Insider
24. In Norway, people consume at least 3 cups of coffee per day.
Norwegians drink more than 3 cups of coffee a day, according to World Population Review. Coffee houses are quite popular in Norway and they present places to socialize. According to the data and statistics, Norway is in second place in global coffee consumption with 9.9 kilograms of coffee consumed per capita per year.
Source: World Population Review
25. Only 20% of Norwegians don’t drink coffee.
Coffee Business Intelligence reported that in Norway, a country of 5 million people, 80% of the population drink coffee. Norwegians prefer high-quality coffee and are quite demanding about the origin and quality of such beverage. Typically, they drink coffee at breakfast, at dinner after the meal, or with dessert, and many more times during the day.
Source: Coffee Business Intelligence and Life in Norway
26. In total, Swedes spend 9.5 days a year on coffee breaks.
Fika is a Swedish word for an extended coffee break from work when people socialize with friends. And they spend on average 9.5 days per year having a fikarast. Sweden consumes 8.2 kilograms of coffee per capita per year.
Source: World Population Review
27. Dutch love black coffee the most.
Dutch are often called coffee maniacs of Europe. Many of them drink up to 4 cups of coffee per day. The country consumes 8.4 kilograms of coffee per capita per year. The Dutch don’t have strict rules about how they drink their coffee. Most often they drink black coffee. Besides that, cappuccino is rather popular there too.
Source: World Population Review
28. Around 9 kilograms of coffee is consumed per person in Switzerland.
According to the report by Reuters, 8.5 million residents of Switzerland consume around 9 kilograms of coffee per person on a yearly basis. Every resident drinks about 1,200 cups of coffee per year. Swiss like strong, robust brews so dark roast espresso and Kaffee crème are the most popular coffee beverages in the country. What’s interesting is that Swiss created Nespresso, one of the most popular coffee brands in the world.
Source: Reuters, Global Blue, and World Population Review
29. The Swiss combines alcohol and coffee too.
One more interesting beverage comes from Switzerland and it is a combination of alcohol and coffee. The World Population Review stated that the Swiss combined coffee and wine called Luzerner Kaffee, a popular drink there consumed rather often. It presents red wine intertwined with thin coffee with sugar.
Source: World Population Review
30. In Belgium, almost 40% of young people drink only 1 cup of coffee per day.
One of the countries with high coffee consumption per capita is Belgium. There, people drink up to 6.8 kilograms of coffee per capita per year. The Belgian cities Antwerp and Brussels have thousands of coffee houses, while almost 65% of people consume 2 to 5 cups of coffee a day. The same data states that 39% of young people aged 35 and lower consume a maximum of 1 cup a day.
Source: World Population Review and Profacts
31. Luxembourg expects a 2.92% growth in the coffee industry market.
Luxembourg may be one of the world’s smallest countries, however, it has thousands of coffee houses and bars. The country consumes 6.5 kilograms of coffee per capita on annual basis. The total revenue of the coffee industry in Luxembourg is estimated at $695 million. The country’s market is projected to grow 2.92% per year by 2025.
Source: World Population Review and Statista
32. Canadians drink about 300,000 bags of coffee more than they had in 2016/2017.
From 2016 to 2020, coffee consumption in Canada had nice growth. Back in the time period of 2016/2017, Canadians consumed 4.55 million 60-kilogram bags of coffee. In 2019/2020, the number increased to 4.83 million bags. That is a nice growth of 300,000 bags of consumed coffee in only a couple of years.
Source: Statista
33. Tim Horton’s sells the most cups of coffee in Canada.
Canada is the only country outside Europe that ranked in the top ten countries with the highest rates of coffee consumption. The country consumes 6.5 kilograms per capita per year. Canada had one of the world’s first coffee chains – Tim Horton’s. According to World Population Review, this coffee chain accounts for 3 out of every 4 cups of coffee sold in Canada.
Source: World Population Review
34. Canadians consume an average of 3.2 cups of coffee.
According to the data provided by Coffee Business Intelligence, in 2019, 2/3 of Canadians drink at least one cup a day. The average number of consumed coffee is 3.2 cups. People aged between 18 and 79 drink coffee more than any other beverage, even tap water. Back in 2011, one study found out that men consume an average of 3 cups of coffee, while women 2.4 cups.
Source: Coffee Business Intelligence
35. Icelanders consume 9 kilograms of coffee.
Icelanders are big coffee drinkers. The average Icelander consumes 9 kilograms of coffee beans on a yearly basis. Since beer was illegal in Iceland until 1987 and wine was pricey, coffee has been the most essential social drink in the country. Iceland has 2 big coffee chains called Kaffitár and Te og kaffi.
Source: World Population Review and Guide to Iceland
36. About 4.25 million cups of coffee were consumed in Denmark in 2019.
In Denmark, the world kaffeslabberas presents an informal social gathering with coffee and cake. Such a gathering often goes right after dinner. According to Statista, in 2019, roughly 4.25 billion cups of coffee were consumed in Denmark. The country consumes 8.7 kilograms of coffee per capita per year and approximately 1.46 cups per day.
Source: Statista and World Population Review
37. Denmark expects a growth of 7.1% per year in coffee consumption.
The revenue in the coffee segment in Denmark amounts to $8,374 million. By 2025, it is estimated that the market will grow 7.1% every year, which is a rather nice growth rate since the country had a decrease in coffee consumption in the years before.
Source: Statista
38. In Australia, 75% of the entire population drinks coffee.
According to the data provided by WhatASleep, almost 19 million Australians drink coffee. That is 75% of the entire population, which is crazy to think about! The data states that 28% of those people drink 3 or more cups of coffee per day. Australians consume 37 million kilograms of coffee every year.
Source: WhatASleep
39. Aussies drink 14 cups of coffee on weekly basis.
The average cost of coffee in Australia is $4.12. And Aussies spend 3 billion dollars on coffee every year. According to the data by WhatASleep, average Australian consumers drink 14 cups of coffee every week, which is rather acceptable, especially in the terms of the daily coffee dosage.
Source: WhatASleep
40. In 2019, latte has been the most ordered coffee in Australia.
In 2019, the most popular beverage order in Australia was a latte. 27% of orders in that year included latte. Flat white follows with 25% of yearly orders, while the cappuccino was ordered 20% of the time. Long black accounts for 8% of orders, while espresso for 6%.
Source: Chef Works
41. Out of all coffee orders, 23% of them are for coffee-to-go.
The Australian coffee market is among the largest in the world. Australians consumed around 2 kilograms of coffee per capita in 2021 – 0.7 kilograms were roasted coffee, while around 1.4 kilograms were instant coffee. Australians also love to consume coffee-to-go. 23% of all coffee orders are for coffee-to-go.
Source: Statista
42. Friends consumed 1,154 cups of coffee.
To finish off this topic of global and by country coffee consumption, we have an interesting fact reported by BuzzFeed. The six lead characters of Friends consumed a total of 1,154 cups of coffee at the Central Perk. According to BuzzFeed, fan analysis came to this nice number of drunken coffees throughout the series and 236 episodes!
Source: BuzzFeed
To Wrap It Up
Coffee is a rather popular global beverage and the best proof of that is the high rates of coffee consumption, both worldwide and by specific country. The coffee industry is a promising sector that is already worth billions of dollars, but according to many projections, the industry will have massive growth in the upcoming years. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the coffee market, the numbers of sales and consumption are higher than ever and the habit of having a few cups of coffee in a day is a simple tradition hundreds of years old.
