Bean machine, “specialty coffee”… The French are increasingly demanding with their coffee

A strong espresso for the most adventurous, a cappuccino for the most gourmands, a mocha for the most trendy... coffee, with a thousand and one variations, is the French's favorite hot drink. 8 out of 10 of them consume it regularly, up to 5.4 kilograms per year, according to an IFOP study for Cafelista. But for consumers, drinking “sock juice” is out of the question. They are now turning to quality coffee, often more expensive, on which professionals in the sector rely.

On this international coffee day, Cécile Chapuis, president of the group of value roasters, assures us: “This drink has become fashionable, it is no longer a basic product.” If ground coffee represents 54.7% of the market in 2022 and 13% for soluble coffee, other formats are gaining ground and are now popular with consumers. This is particularly the case for coffee beans, which increased from 23% in 2022 to 25.9% share this year. “For two years, the grain has really taken off, in particular thanks to the communication campaigns of coffee machine brands,” notes Jean-Pierre Blanc, general manager of Malongo cafés. The latter also recognizes that “the pod market has reached maturity”.

The manufacturers' multiple television advertisements have therefore borne fruit and pushed consumers to change their habits. If “barista” type machines remain expensive, it is “now trendy to have one at home,” observes Virginie Somon, president of the coffee union. Some aficionados claim that these machines produce better coffee, like John, 27, who equipped himself last April: “I discovered it at a friend's house and it was a revelation, the coffee is really better.” Despite a purchase price of 300 euros, he also advocates better profitability of grain sachets, compared to capsules. “For equal quality, a kilo of coffee in capsules costs around 36 euros, compared to 18 euros for a kilo of beans, so it is much more economical,” underlines Cécile Chapuis.

Specialty coffee is also on the rise. This coffee, of better quality, stands out from traditional sectors by its exemplary traceability. From Indonesia, Colombia or even Brazil, it is generally bought in specialized stores, at a higher price. It currently represents 5% of the market, and could rise to 15% within a few years. “We can feel the enthusiasm growing among consumers,” notes David Serruys, president of the Café Collective. “They want to discover tastes, know the history of their drink and its origin,” adds the specialist. Regarding the average price of a good specialty coffee, David Serruys estimates it to be around 24 euros per kilo.

For Noa Berger, researcher in the sociology of coffee, this craze did not appear by chance. “With the arrival of specialty coffee in France in the 2010s, we started to talk more about terroir and origins,” she explains. Some chains, like Starbucks, have started to ride this new wave. “The French then asked themselves “what is a real authentic coffee”?” and have turned away, in part, from classic cafés. The recent rise of coffee shops and the recognition of baristas have also reinforced this phenomenon. Today, “a whole history accompanies specialty coffee”, also a vector “of social distinction”, according to Noa Berger. It remains to be seen whether these exceptional varieties will succeed in winning over all French people, who are still so attached to their coffee break and its characteristic smell.