Coffee remains America’s most-consumed beverage with specialty coffee at an all-time high, but grocery’s grip on the category is loosening, according to the National Coffee Association’s 2026 National Coffee Data Trends Fall Report, which found grocery stores’ share of purchases for in-home preparation fell to 35 percent from 42 percent in January, while mass merchandisers climbed to 28 percent from 23 percent.
Retail coffee prices are running 10.3 percent higher year over year per the July Consumer Price Index, creating an environment that encourages buyers to shop across channels. Demand itself shows no strain, with past-day consumption steady at 66 percent of American adults, more than any other beverage including tap or bottled water, and out-of-home consumption reaching its highest level since January 2020.
“Few things are as deeply woven into American life as coffee, and these numbers show our love for coffee is only growing stronger and more diverse,” said Bill Murray, president and CEO of the National Coffee Association. “Whether it’s brewed at home, ordered at a drive-thru or enjoyed in a favorite espresso-based drink, coffee continues to evolve while remaining an essential part of millions of Americans’ daily routines.”
Key findings
- More American adults now drink specialty coffee than traditional coffee, with 48 percent having specialty coffee in the past day, a new record; 47 percent of adults had an espresso-based beverage such as a latte, cappuccino or caffè mocha in the past week, also a record and up 17.5 percent since 2022.
- The vast majority of past-day coffee drinkers, 83 percent, have coffee at home, while out-of-home consumption among past-day drinkers reached 38 percent.
- Among past-week out-of-home coffee buyers, 55 percent ordered at a drive-thru, and a record 40 percent ordered on an app.
- Cold coffee consumption reached 21 percent of past-day drinkers, seasonally elevated in the summer survey but up from 16 percent in 2022, while 71 percent had hot coffee.
The NCDT, conducted by Dig Insights and commissioned by the association since 1950, is the longest-running study of U.S. coffee consumption, now fielded twice annually. Data for the fall report were collected June 8-24 from a nationally representative sample of 1,882 adults.
Established in 1911, the New York-based National Coffee Association represents companies responsible for 90 percent of U.S. coffee commerce, an industry supporting 2.2 million U.S. jobs and contributing nearly $350 billion to the economy annually.
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