Brewing Demographics

Unpacking Coffee Trends Across Age, Employment, and Ethnicity

Giving-cap
Maggie Lam, Oliver Li, Jiaying Yuan

2025-03-02

Introduction

• The Great American Coffee Taste Test: 4,042 responses and 57 columns covering demographics, spending, and coffee preferences
• Variables Used:
  • Demographics: Age, Education, Ethnicity
  • Spending: Most willing to pay, Total monthly spend
  • Work Settings: Work-from-home (WFH) vs. In-Person
  • Preferences: Coffee strength & style

Q1: How do demographic factors influence spending habits on coffee?

Visualization 1

• Higher education → higher willingness to pay
• Spending drops significantly after age 44
• Graduate/Doctorate group has the highest willingness to pay

Visualization 2

• Asian/Pacific Islanders → Spending increases after age 65
• Black/African Americans → Low Spending under 18
• White & Hispanic individuals → More stable spending patterns
• Bell curve shape generally - total monthly spending peaks around 25-44 years old

Q2: How do factors like work from home or in person and employment status influence an individual’s overall coffee preference on style and stength?

Visualization 1

• Medium & Somewhat Strong coffee are most preferred
• Retired & full-time employees → Prefer stronger coffee
• Homemakers → Higher proportion of “Somewhat Light” coffee drinkers

Visualization 2

• Fruity coffee is most popular across all work conditions
• Remote workers → More likely to drink Chocolatey & Full-bodied coffee
• In-person workers → More balanced preferences across different styles

Thank you!