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First the wine snob now the coffee bore

6th October 2006

We have become a nation of “coffee connoisseurs” and the average household now contains at least three different varieties, according to a survey by fair-trade organic coffee company Percol.

And those who prefer to drink coffee at home now grind their own coffee beans to suit their sophisticated tastebuds. More than two thirds of those surveyed stocked ground beans with the most popular countries of origin being Colombia and Mexico.

A new breed of snob is threatening to take the froth of our Cappuccinos — more than a third of us (35%) say normal or decaf is no longer enough to round off a meal. “Coffee Fashionistas” believe that a dinner party doesn’t cut the mustard if you don’t offer Columbian, Honduras and Guatemalan while guests polish off their dessert.

A fifth of us (21%) now believe that we should be offering coffees which come from a single origin instead — rather than blended varieties — in place of Cappuccinos or Espresso, which were considered to be “so last year” by one in five of us.

And more than one in ten of us (15%) even expect their host to be able to recommend the type of coffee they should have to complement their meal.

Posh People in London and the South East are the most likely to have three or more varieties and their favourite is Columbian — a very smooth-flavoured drink with a very slight citrus flavour. Its complex flavour is suited to fast-living Londoners, according to the research.

Amorous Brummies preferred Guatemalan — which has a seductive flavour with a hint of dark chocolate and exotic fruit. Straight-talking people from the north west liked Nicaraguan — which has a bold contrast in flavours — bittersweet chocolate and orange. The Scottish, known for their sweet tooth, liked Latin American, which has a hint of toffee and tracle.

Managing Director of Percol Brian Chapman, who founded Percol, said:
“Coffee is where wine was 20 years ago. Coffee drinkers have moved on from blended coffees and are now willing to explore different terrain and regions in their quest for a high-quality tasting coffee. Coffee is also becoming very much like wine, with drinkers becoming more discerning,looking for particular flavours. And they are becoming more adventurous all the time. We have found that people are increasingly interested in where their coffee comes from as they are more influenced by Fairtrade and a desire to be a responsible consumer.”

The UK’s coffee shop market is now worth £450m, a rise of 109% since 1999, according to Mintel. The arrival of American-style chains like Starbucks and Costa Coffee have been credited with boosting consumer interest in coffee, which has become the second most-traded commodity in the world, behind oil.

Richard Clarke, newseditor of The Grocer, said the image of coffee is now more cool than tea. He said: “People are travelling more and when they do they try out different styles and blends of coffee. This trend has spread through the ubiquitous coffee bars that have sprung up in the UK that sell their coffee in a very special way.

“Consumers not only want to know where their milk, meat and wine is from, they want sign-posting to let them know exactly what region their coffee comes from too. There is a coolness about coffee and it is a robust market because people associate it with lounging around in cafes sipping out of mini cups.”