A new survey from the Canadian Coffee Association (CCA) found that many coffee drinkers are buying and drinking a lot of their coffee in-store and not really understanding the quality of coffee or the quality it was made from.
“When it comes to coffee, it’s not a commodity and there’s not one brand,” said CCA spokesperson Susan MacLeod.
“There’s so many different types of coffee, so many brands, and so many stores and retailers that are buying the same thing.
It’s just not something you’re going to be able to discern.”
MacLeod explained that while consumers have a right to know what’s in their coffee, there’s no reason to buy and drink coffee that you don’t like.
“You have to be a little bit more thoughtful and have a conversation with yourself about how you’re getting it,” she said.
“You know, if you’re not sure what it’s made from and if you don, there are probably more options that are available to you.”
Coffee, according to MacLeod, is a commodity that people need to be aware of when purchasing and consuming their coffee.
“We’re looking at the price of coffee,” she added.
“The average price is $1.80, which is about a 50% increase from last year,” said MacLeod who noted that while the average price of a cup of coffee is up slightly, the cost of the drink itself is up 10%.
“There is a lot more cost that goes into the purchase of coffee than there was in the past,” she explained.
While many consumers are buying coffee online and purchasing in-stores, a majority of those buying their coffee at home are not aware of the different types.
According to the CCA survey, over a third of consumers were not familiar with what coffee is made from when purchasing a cup.
While most of the products surveyed are from coffee roasters, they did not include the varieties or varieties that are found in other coffee regions, such as Costa Rica.
While the CTA study found that about one in five Canadians surveyed did not know how to properly use the equipment in their home, one in three were unfamiliar with the equipment at their coffee shop.
The majority of the survey respondents were also unsure of which products to buy.
“Coffees are expensive,” MacLeod said.
“I would say that the price is a big barrier to buying a cup and a lot people don’t know what to expect.
They don’t really understand the quality.”