Many people cannot work without coffee. Although the “black gold” became more expensive again, coffee consumption continued to rise. On average, Germans drink 169 liters of coffee per year.
Despite sharp price increases, the already high consumption of coffee in Germany increased again in the second year of Corona. Overall, the coffee market grew by 0.4 percent in 2021, after growth of 1.5 percent in the first corona year of 2020.
This corresponds to an increase from 168 to 169 liters of coffee per capita, reported the German Coffee Association. This means that coffee remains by far the most popular drink in Germany, ahead of mineral water and beer. «We are a coffee nation. Coffee is crisis-proof and remains the favorite drink of Germans,” said General Manager Holger Preibisch.
Clock generator Tchibo adds 1.30 euros
Like most coffee roasters, the association does not comment on prices – with the exception of the industry leader and pacesetter Tchibo. In February, for the second time in nine months, he had to force himself to raise prices by up to 1.30 euros per pound. Tchibo had already increased the prices by up to 1 euro per 500 gram pack last June. The background is the significantly higher purchase prices for green coffee on the world markets. Arabica beans, which account for around 60 percent of global coffee production, are currently trading at around 230 US cents per pound (454 grams), almost 80 percent more than a year ago.
Although the International Coffee Organization ICO reported price declines in March in its most recent market report, the ICO price index, which is made up of several types of coffee, had previously risen for 17 months in a row. In addition, the industry is burdened by significantly higher prices for packaging, energy and transport, which coffee roasters cannot handle alone either.
More coffee at home
According to the Coffee Association, the places where coffee is consumed have shifted further – in view of the corona restrictions on public life that will last well into 2021 and the continuing trend towards working from home. This increased coffee consumption at home by 2.1 percent, while the out-of-home segment lost 5.7 percent.
This is accompanied by strong market growth for whole beans that are only ground at home. According to the Coffee Association, they now make up 41 (previous year: 37) percent of the market and are thus close to classic filter coffee with 47 (50) percent, for which ready-ground coffee is often bought. “Today, every third household in Germany has a fully automatic coffee machine. The spread increased by around 20 percent from 2019 to 2021,” said Preibisch. “Lockdown and working from home have led to increased coffee consumption and the purchase of new coffee machines.”
Source: Stern
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
