Coffee shops and bakery cafés are increasing in popularity with almost one in 10 UK consumers visiting them every day, new consumer research has revealed.
As bakery supplier Délifrance’s latest report in its ‘Prove It’ series, the recently published ‘A Bitesize Guide to Coffee Shops’ gives an in-depth look at Brits’ love of the coffee shop.
The UK is currently home to more than 11,500 branded coffee shops, a figure expected to surpass 13,000 in the next five years according to the Allegra World Coffee Portal.
Designed to help coffee shop and bakery café operators thrive in this increasingly competitive market, the Délifrance report examines consumers attitudes to the venues, including why they chose them, how loyal are they, when they visit, and what they want from a food menu.
The study features findings from a poll of 500 UK consumers who regularly buy food from a café or coffee shop. Some of its key findings are as follows:
Visit frequency
More than half of the survey respondents (58%) said they are popping into cafés or coffee shops at least once per week, while 9% were making daily visits.
“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,” commented Délifrance marketing & innovation director UK&I Stéphanie Brillouet.
Loyalty to a brand isn’t necessarily a given, however, with 92% of consumers saying they are open to trying somewhere new.
Food is king
Among the reasons considered important in choosing a particular café outlet, food was found to be a factor for 62% of respondents, nearly twice as many as those mulling the drinks offering (37%).
“There is great opportunity to capture customers through an innovative food offering, which always delivers on cost and convenience,” expressed food trends experts Harris & Hayes, who once again gave their insights to the ‘Prove It’ report.
Sandwiches (including wraps and paninis) are the most popular food category in coffee shops (purchased by 72% of those interviewed), followed by sweet bakery (64%), savoury bakery (62%), and bagged snacks, confectionery, and savoury bites (50%).
Exactly half (50%) of the sandwich buyers did so at lunch, while 42% grabbed one before 9am. Some of the chef tips on sandwiches included that operators should highlight traditional British fillings with low food miles; world cuisine ideas like Korean Gilgeori (egg, cabbage, ham, and cheese on toasted bread); and Instagram-worthy giant stuffed creations with bright colours.
Brillouet noted that the growth in coffee shops 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,” she added.
Value and convenience
Of the survey respondents, 57% thought value was important in their decision making and a similar number (56%) put convenience.
Meal deals were sought after by 57% of consumers, 52% simply wanted cheap food, 40% cheap drinks, 33% like a loyalty scheme, 25% are into personalised deals through apps, and only 17% stuck around for the end-of-the-day discounts.
“Gamification and instant gratification can be mobilised in the app through targeted or limited-time offers,” suggested Harris & Hayes.
Looking at convenience, a whopping 70% said they had location as important, while less than a third put things like consistency, speed of purchase, and ease of takeaway or on-the-go eating.
The full Délifrance is free to download here via registration.
The company previously published ‘Prove It’ reports focussing on education catering and viennoiserie.
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