Délifrance research probes Brits’ love of coffee shops

One in ten British consumers visit a café or coffee shop every day, a new report from baked goods supplier Délifrance has revealed.

Published this month, Prove It: A Bitesize Guide to Coffee Shops is an in-depth look at Brits’ love of the coffee shop, which first bloomed in 1650 when the country’s original coffee house opened on Oxford’s high street.

Coffee Shops on the Rise

Today there are more than 11,500 branded coffee shops in the UK, a figure expected to grow to more than 13,000 in the next five years.

Designed to help coffee shop operators thrive in this increasingly competitive market, the Délifrance report examines consumers attitudes to coffee shops, including why they chose a venue, how loyal are they, when they visit, and what they want from coffee shop food.

Keys Stats on Consumer Habits

The study features findings from a poll of 500 UK consumers who regularly buy food from a café or coffee shop, including:

9% visit cafés and coffee shops every day.
58% visit cafés and coffee shops at least weekly.
Food is the most important factor when choosing a coffee shop (62%), followed by value for money (57%) and convenience (56%).
92% of consumers are open to trying somewhere new.
Sandwiches (including wraps and paninis) are the most popular food in coffee shops (72%), followed by sweet bakery (64%) and savoury bakery (62%).

Alongside this insight on consumer habits, the guide offers advice to operators from food trends experts Harris and Hayes and Délifrance in-house chefs.

This includes tips on topics such as building custom in quiet trading periods; reducing surplus by making use of leftover products; and stocking a product range that meets customer needs.

Délifrance Marketing and Innovation Director Stéphanie Brillouet said:

“Cafés and coffee shops already play a major role in UK society – and ongoing market trends, such as younger consumers drinking less alcohol, mean that role is set to grow even larger in the future,”

“This will bring new opportunities for operators but also increased competition, making it more important than ever to ensure they have the right offer. That means selling the fresh and consistent food and drink their customers want, in the most suitable formats and at the time of day that suits their lifestyle.”

Expert Advice for Operators

Alongside the launch of the report, former Pret A Manger and Costa Coffee operations chief Richard Zivkovic, appeared as a guest speaker on the latest episode of Délifrance’s Bitesize Bakery Podcast to explore the world of coffee shops and on-the-go bakery in more detail.