Coffee’s unexpected rise in the beverage market

Coffee is a product that takes up a lot of space in my daily life. When I wake up in the morning, I always drink a cup of filter coffee after green tea, I have at least two dark Turkish coffees during the day, and if I have a meeting in the evening, I always have a cup of filter coffee – iced or hot, depending on the season, or if I want to pamper myself, I drink my capsule coffee while sitting in front of the computer.

Sometimes I drink coffee more than water, the first reason for this is that drinking coffee has become more than an action; it is an experience. Like many of my friends and colleagues around me, I no longer see coffee as an ordinary consumer product and I define coffee and the things I use while consuming it as a social life companion.

Coffee consumption as an “experience marketing”

The first thing that made me see coffee as an experience element is the movies and series I watch. People who performs in the movie always consume coffee while chatting on this visual media, during a date, feeling emotionally negative, working, and having a meeting.

The other is that coffee shops, especially chain coffee stores, decorate each store differently to provide people with the experience of being there and drinking coffee in that store. The reason for large stores in large shopping malls or well-designed stores in the most important spots of the city is this experience marketing business that I mentioned.

Cold coffee and its varieties are no longer a product to be consumed only in the summer season and have managed to create a segment for themselves in markets. It is possible to find ready-to-drink cold coffee varieties in coffee shops, open, bottled, metal and cardboard boxes.

According to National Coffee Association data (NCA), the consumption of cold brew and chilled / iced espresso drinks in particular increased by 23% among Generation Z and 11% among millennials between 2021 and 2023, that is, in 2 years.

When I want to take a break from work, I go out to drink a coffee or take a coffee break, when I meet a friend and share information (gossiping I have a cup of coffee in my hand, or when I feel unhappy at home or if I am looking for an accompaniment to my music, I find myself in front of the coffee machine.

Even when I am driving between cities, I want to take a coffee break and stop at the places where the coffee bean machines that are becoming widespread at gas stations are located.

I drink coffee mostly at home or at the office, and if I am anywhere in the city during the day, I drink it primarily from chain brands and then from more boutique coffee shops.

The main reason for my increased coffee consumption is that the coffee machines I bought for home encourage me to use them, the appeal of the aromas of capsule coffees and of course the unique smell of coffee.

There is even ground coffee in the scent bag in my car. Such a passion.

I want to stop here for a moment and go back in time, and while studying, developing a project or thinking about a job, I try to remember what was in my life when there was no coffee.

I think you should take a break and do this too. My answer is that there are similar drinks in the same category as the most popular and widely accessible sodas, cola and coke.

Why is coffee a preferable option to acidic drinks?

The cold beverage market is still dominated by carbonated drinks, but there is a new competitor rising against them, coffee; especially chilled or directly cold brewed coffee.

Among the reasons why coffee is entering more people’s consumption habits is people’s more conscious approach to consumption.

The carbodioxide that makes carbonated drinks fizzy, the sugar and sweeteners used intensively for sweetening are the main elements that people try to eliminate from their lives. In fact, the acidity of cola is around pH 2.5, which is almost equal to that of vinegar. Lower acidity means more damage to teeth, upper digestive organs and stomach.

Unlike hot coffee, which is cooled by adding cold water and ice, cold brew coffee is prepared by steeping coarsely ground coffee in cold water for at least 12 to 24 hours. Cold brew coffee is up to 66% less acidic and smoother than commonly sold coffee served with ice. This makes cold coffee a better option for the stomach and also makes it a good choice for adding milk and other preferred sweeteners. If you’re interested, here‘s some information on cold brewing.

One of the reasons why the product variety in the carbonated beverage market is sugar-free and fruit-flavored; even towards joint production with well-known drinks and diversifying products in this direction may be that coffee products get a bigger share of the pie.

One, two, three: simply is better.

So much so that what makes coffee special beverage for some, a simple and accessible option for others is that all you need to consumpt a cup of coffee is a grinder with some coffee beans and some water. And water and a few ice cubes to cool it down. Simply is better.

In addition to being a natural drink against carbonated beverages and being easy to prepare, coffee is a natural source of antioxidants.

Coffee is a natural source of caffeine, unlike the one added to carbonated drinks. This means getting caffeine directly, which is an energy source without the sugar load that carbonated ones provide.

“Coffee” as an attraction

You can prepare your refresher with a few teaspoons of coffee directly or after cooling it by putting it through a simple filter coffee machine, or you can sweeten or flavor your coffee as you wish.

You can add animal or plant-based milk according to your diet and even mix your favorite drink into it, the choice is up to you.

The spread of coffee consumption is also related to the increase in the number of places selling coffee. Today, no matter which city you go to, you will find coffee shops of chain stores there. In fact, there are many initiatives that brew coffee with special methods in a single shop without opening branches and try to make a difference with their presentation.

Speaking of coffee shops, i cannot close the subject without mentioning the spread and diversification of the tools and equipment used in coffee consumption.

This issue is directly related to the fact that, consumption coffee has become an experience. I have a more dynamic life compared to the past and I can be anywhere in the city at any time to live, work or spend time. Whether I take a break and take time to have a coffee or just go somewhere to have a coffee, I also like to drink coffee on the go and I demand it.

What is offered as a supply to this demand is coffee thermoses and mugs in different portion sizes. Today, no matter which chain coffee shop you go to, you can find a variety of coffee thermoses sold either under the brand’s own name or in collaboration (or both). I haven’t even counted the stores and shops that sell home goods.

Almost everyone now has at least one coffee thermos to put coffee in when they leave the house, and even more than one in different colors and sizes.

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Coffee is a product that has gained more value and importance than before, partly because of its value and partly because of the contribution and enhancement of marketing communication. It is a product that is open to unique flavors by roasting in different ways and with different processes, and it is also harmonious.

Coffee is a part of our lives and will continue to be in our lives, at least for the near future. If you are open to innovation, how about drinking your next coffee in a way you have never tried before?