Coffee Intelligence
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Coffee Intelligence is an online publication with a simple mission: To dedicate high-quality journalism to the most important topics in the coffee sector. Our coverage includes emerging market trends, challenges at origin, technological innovation, and human interest stories. We feature a range of perspectives and experiences to cater to our global audience, with the aim of presenting a comprehensive view of issues.
We also give voice to those who may otherwise struggle to find a platform, presenting their concerns and opinions to those who can make a difference. As well as relying on the latest data and market research, our team of columnists offer expert analysis to help readers unravel some of the most complicated subjects of today. Source
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| Scope | Consumer |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Country | United Kingdom |
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Recent Articles
Search ArticlesFlavour-led branding is reshaping green coffee marketing - Coffee Intelligence
Exporters and importers are increasingly using dessert and flavour-led names such as "Red Candy Burst" to make green coffee lots easier for roasters to identify, remember and position. Taste-focused descriptions can increase product selection by up to 29%, suggesting sensory language can be a powerful B2B marketing tool.
Why does specialty coffee hate pre-ground coffee so aggressively? - Coffee Intelligence
Pre-ground coffee frequently attracts strong criticism, reflecting how deeply "grind fresh" has become embedded in specialty coffee culture. In 2025, pre-ground coffee accounted for around 38% of European and 27% of coffee consumed in the US - showing that convenience remains a major part of consumption. Fresh grinding may be the ideal for maximising quality, but the specialty coffee industry risks overstating that ideal as a universal requirement for every consumer.
Most independent coffee shops have no idea how to price their products - Coffee Intelligence
Independent coffee shops often wait too long to raise prices, allowing labour, rent and other operating costs to erode already-tight margins. In May of 2026, 27% of UK accommodation and food service businesses reported increasing their prices - the highest proportion of any industry. Smaller, more regular price increases can be easier for customers to accept than a large correction after years of static pricing. Independent coffee shops have a lot to manage at once.
Is oat milk falling out of favour in the coffee industry? - Coffee Intelligence
Baristas and roasters are becoming more selective as the plant-based milk category matures. Plant-based foods generated US$8.1 billion in US retail sales in 2024, with 59% of households purchasing at least one plant-based product. Coffee shops are increasingly choosing alternative milks based on flavour compatibility, performance and the coffee they serve. For much of the past decade, oat milk has been the undisputed dairy alternative of choice in specialty coffee.
Coffee shops need customers to spend more - and cold foam lattes are helping - Coffee Intelligence
Large chains are normalising higher-priced matcha, flavoured lattes and cold drinks, potentially raising what consumers consider a reasonable price for a takeaway coffee shop beverage. Cold drinks now account for roughly two-thirds of beverages sold at Starbucks' US company-operated stores, while matcha and rotating drinks represent around 50% of Blank Street's business.
Constant sensationalism about how much a cup of coffee costs doesn't help anyone - Coffee Intelligence
Sensationalist coverage of coffee pricing reduces a complex issue to how much a single cup of coffee costs, obscuring the commercial realities behind it. UK coffee prices have risen around 35% in the last five years, while green coffee and business electricity costs have risen by around 60%. Poorly contextualised pricing debates can make sustainable pricing harder, pushing coffee shops towards tighter margins or cheaper products. Whenever the cost of coffee rises, the same headlines tend to follow.
The real reason more specialty coffee roasters don't buy from smallholders - Coffee Intelligence
Larger, established producers are often easier for roasters to buy from because the infrastructure, logistics and relationships are already in place. Around 12.5 million farms produce coffee globally, the vast majority of them smallholders, while roasters can work directly with only a fraction. For many roasters, sourcing comes down to balancing quality, price and accessibility - not simply finding the best coffee available. The coffee industry prides itself on celebrating diversity at origin.
The coffee industry is no longer looking West - Coffee Intelligence
The coffee industry is increasingly looking beyond traditional Western markets as Asia emerges as a major source of new ideas, products and consumer trends. Asia and Oceania recorded the world's strongest coffee demand growth in 2024/25, with consumption rising 7.4% to 47.4 million bags of green coffee. As influence becomes more geographically distributed, businesses that broaden where they look for inspiration will be better placed to identify the industry's next big ideas.
Third wave roasters' profit centres are blends, not micro lots - Coffee Intelligence
Many of specialty coffee's most respected third wave roasters appear to build their businesses on flagship blends and higher-volume single origins, while using micro lots to showcase quality and innovation. Typically produced in lots of just 7-50 bags, micro lots are inherently limited in scale - making them difficult to rely on as the commercial foundation of a roasting business.
We need another flat white - Coffee Intelligence
The flat white helped transform specialty coffee from a niche movement into the mainstream by providing an approachable gateway into coffee. UK flat white sales increased by 56% year-on-year in 2018 - highlighting how rapidly the drink evolved from an Australasian specialty into a global coffee staple. The challenge now is finding another drink that expands specialty coffee beyond its existing audience. The flat white may be the single most influential product specialty coffee has ever created.