The coffee drinking habits of Australian employees

To get a representative sample, we surveyed employees all over Australia across a wide variety of industries and sectors, with most respondents being between 18 to 44 years of age. Here’s what we learned:

We are a nation of coffee lovers

Up to 70.8% of our respondents said that their coffee habit was a part of their daily routine. The data shows that coffee culture is deeply embedded into the Australian lifestyle, with coffee being the main mode of caffeine consumption for over half the people surveyed.

Coffee drinking occasions were diverse, encompassing everything from catching up with work mates to enjoying a hot cup with food.

It was also a key part of the morning routine, with many people stopping by a café on their way to work to grab a cup.

Client meetings and computer breaks also drove coffee consumption, though on a smaller scale.

How much coffee are Aussie employees drinking?

On average, Australian employees drink anywhere from 1 to 3 cups a day. From those we surveyed, 35.4% said they have three cups a day, with only 3.1% drinking four cups a day. Almost a quarter of the respondents said they have just one cup a day.

In financial terms, a large part of the Australian workforce is spending between $2-$5 each day on their coffee. In terms of annual costs, that means a substantial part of the workforce spends up to AUD $1,000 a year on coffee alone.

But that’s just one part of the picture: there is a significant percentage that spends no money at all on coffee, but that’s usually because it’s provided by their workplace. The trend of free coffee in the office is on the rise, with 27.7% of our respondents saying their workplaces provided free coffee to employees.

What they look for in a coffee

When it came to the question of how they chose what coffee to buy, taste quality and value for money came out on top as the biggest influences in their buying decision. Coffee beans and brand name ranked far lower on the list, which shows that Aussie workers care less about brand recognition or sourcing than they do for taste and value for money.

The top three most popular coffee beverages were the latte, cappuccino and flat white, Notably, espresso and mocha barely broke into the top ten.

As for cold coffee, the majority preferred their beverage with milk or with added condiments in comparison to a cold brew. About 43% preferred cold coffee, whereas 47.7% didn’t drink cold coffee at all.

Why every Australian workplace should have a coffee machine

When asked about the key provisions employees would want in their workplace, a free coffee machine was the number one choice of 24.6% of our respondents. The only thing that ranked higher was an early finish on Fridays in summer, coming in at 36.9%.

Even more interesting was how coffee machines shaped the perception of a workplace and its culture. Of those surveyed, 30.8% felt that companies without coffee machines were ‘dinosaurs’, with 46.2% believing that meetings were more productive if coffee was involved.

It’s clear that coffee is a priority for most working Australians. Workplaces that equip their offices with coffee machines tend to make a favourable impression on our coffee-loving workers.

But considering all the factors that go into finding the right coffee machine, selecting one for your workplace can be challenging.

Fortunately, we’ve made the process of discovering your ideal machine simple and convenient, so let’s get started on finding the right coffee machine for your needs!