Coffee Trying To Recapture American Market

Coffee consumption reached its peak in the United States in 1946, with the average American consuming that year almost 46 1/2 gallons of coffee. Things went along a pretty well for coffee until the 1970s, when coffee consumption began to turn downward. So, the average American in 1946 drinking over 46 gallons of coffee by 2005, that was down to 24 gallons and still falling. What happened?

“It's a combination with the the use of the percolator which is the worst way, to do it,” said Orondo Holmes, a coffee grower, roaster and marketer. He grows coffee in Honduras. And yes, he says first there was. The electric percolator, which really took hold in the 50s and 60s. Those machines depended on boiling the water to get it to brew the coffee. Boiling is too hot and would often give you very bitter coffee. So one factor was the percolator, another competition from soft drinks and the consumer shift away from breakfasts.

“And also the coffee companies started using more and more robust to coffee, which was a third of the price of Arabica beans. Trying to make higher profits, but they just made bad coffee at the same time.” Holmes pointed out. 

But finally, the tide turned. A new era of coffee started to brew in the 2000s.

“Some of the coffee companies made it more fashionable and people started looking for even better coffees,” Holmes added.  “100% Arabica, well raised top grade roasted right.”

He said once people tasted good coffee demand for it started to rise not just because of the coffee itself.

“You know, it's a social thing,” said Karen Blakes, league extension educator, Kansas State University.  “People like to hang out with friends or meet with colleagues to have a work session and to go have a cup of coffee.”

And that coffee is far different than in the past.

“They've added a lot of flavors to them to enhance people's idea of what coffee is supposed to taste like,” Blakes said.

There are those single cup brewing machines.  That's added another dimension to the market. So, all of this is bringing coffee consumption up from a per person yearly average of 24 gallons in 2005 to over 35 gallons last year. However, health experts are voicing concerns.

“Do you really need a lot all that caffeine?” Blakes asked.

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