Behind The Bloom — Who Is Driving the Explosive Demand for Cold Brew Coffee?
Cold Brew Coffee Is Booming (and “Blooming”) — But Why?
2023 was a bold and cold year for coffee enthusiasts, with the National Coffee Association reporting cold brew coffee’s most extensive spike in popularity to date—an increase of 300% since 2016. And it isn’t just that cold brew is more popular today; it’s fast becoming the go-to coffee for the current generations of drinkers.
According to National Coffee Data Trends’ 2023 report, the number of people who consistently drink cold brew rose 60% since 2019, while those who drink it on occasion climbed to 73%. People who make cold brew at home also rose steadily by 32%. At One World Coffee Roasters, our Cacao Breeze Cold Brew blend is made with this popularity in mind!
We’ll explore the surprising demographic factors driving this boom in just a moment, but first—a quick refresher …
The Origin of Cold Brew - A Modern Delight with Historic Roots
Cold Brew methods became popular in Japan in the 1600s, brought to Kyoto by Dutch sailors who used the method as a way of having coffee for their ship voyages without the hazard of fire. This style of coffee was inspired by traditional cold-brewing tea methods, and became known as “Kyoto Style” coffee to this day.
They often use artistic glass columns full of grounds with a steady, drip-by-drip flow of water to create the batch of coffee over a 24-hour period. The beauty of these vessels adds to the overall experience of Kyoto Style coffee.
It is theorized that cold brewing may have once been the most prevalent method of preparing coffee, due to the minimal labor and resources required for the preparation.
Cold brew coffee was brought to Cuba in 1930, and slowly introduced to the US between the 1930s and 1960s, where Todd Simpson was inspired to create the Toddy Cold Brew System after being introduced to the method during a trip to Peru. It wasn’t until 1990 that the method became more popular, and into the 2010s when it was picked up by chains like Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts.
The Next Generation Has Spoken
While history shows us a highly diverse spread of cultures, professionals, and people of various time periods who favored the relatively low hassle brewing method, there can be no doubt that the cold brew deluge of today has been driven by any demographics more notably than Gen Z and Millennials.
A recent study by Califa Farms and One Poll notes that of the coffee drinkers they surveyed, a whopping 40% of respondents who preferred cold brew over hot coffee and other preparations, were from Gen Z, with Millennials not far behind in their representation.
It’s true that Gen Z was the first generation to have iphones and Instagram accessible at a very young age—impressionably taking in the hypnotic beauty of milk clouds spreading over the top of frost-beaded cold brew glasses, but there are some deeper factors at play that speak more to the character of the nascent generation and their Millennial brethren.
Cold Brew is Coffee for the Health and Environmentally Conscious
Two key characteristics that define Gen Z and Millennials are heightened concern for their health and sustainability. Growing up in an age where diabetes, obesity, and cancer have risen to alarming levels, even among young adults, generations Z and Y have become well aware of the dangers of excessive sugar consumption. Thus a smoother and sweeter coffee that doesn’t require sugar or added creamers to be enjoyed holds a definite appeal to younger coffee drinkers.
Cold brewing also cuts much of the acid from brewed coffee that often comes out in more conventional preparation methods. This means less stomach and heartburn aggravation for individuals who struggle with conditions like acid reflux that can have serious long-term effects.
And for a generation that has watched the climate crisis play out before them, little habitual changes that limit carbon footprint loom large. Cold brewing uses no electricity and requires no pods or disposable filters, making it the lowest-impact coffee brewing method.
Alternative Brewing Methods Leave Boomers and Rural Coffee Drinkers Feeling Cold
Who still isn’t sold on the cold? Coffee drinkers over 60 were most likely of all surveyed age demographics, to report a “poor experience” with cold brew. There can be many guesses as to why this is the case, but this result most likely lies with a strong generational preference toward hot coffee over any kind of cold method, with 94% of adults over 56 strongly favoring hot over cold coffee. The bolder flavor concentration of cold brew may also be off-putting to a generation that grew up with much weaker coffee.
Additionally, cold brew is less popular in rural areas, compared to metropolitan ones, largely due to limited exposure.
The Past & The Future: Cold Brew is Here to Stay!
From the necessity of its roots on the turbulent seas of Asia, to the convenience, health, and environmental benefits it offers in the modern age, cold brew coffee is a timeless delight that, in the cups of Gen Z and Millennials, will likely endure for centuries to come.
Wondering where to begin with your cold brew voyage? A cup of One World’s chocolatey Cacao Breeze Cold Brew, available exclusively in our cafe, is a great start. Stop in for a fresh cup today!
