The future of at-home coffee in France

Throughout lockdown, many French coffee lovers have already been attempting to recreate their favourite coffee experience at home. This creates a huge opportunity for coffee brands and shops to tap into the at-home coffee experience. Here, we present the latest and most innovative product launches in France and around the world that showcase how brands can bring the coffee experience indoors.

Rise of the in-home barista

The ‘troisième vague’ (third wave) coffee movement has introduced specialty coffee firmly onto the Parisian gastronomy scene in the past few years. The desire for the whole bean coffee is driven by the Millennial generation. As Mintel research shows, nearly half of French consumers aged 25-35 consider themselves a ‘coffee connoisseur’. This means that many Millennials are prepared to go the extra mile to grind and then brew their beans in-home for a superior taste experience at a fraction of the coffee shop cost. 

Some coffee shops in Paris are selling their specialty beans online for coffee lovers to enjoy at home. For example, Terres De Café, a Parisian specialty coffee shop offers an ‘espresso subscription’ service, which delivers the customer’s choice of coffee beans to their home each month.

Box Découverte Cafés (Coffee Discovery Box) from Terres de Café (France)

Source: terresdecafe.com

As the majority of French coffee users think it is hard to know what to expect based on the on-pack flavour descriptions, this points to a need for brands to take additional measures to motivate consumers to try new variants, for example via sampling. Linking subscriptions to a coffee application could, therefore, prove valuable.

Younger drinkers seek a taste of coffee adventure

Today’s more globalised world is exposing younger drinkers’ taste buds to more exotic flavours and ingredients and is fuelling a demand for bolder, more experimental flavours. In France, a large part of 16-44 coffee drinkers are always looking for new coffees to try. This presents opportunities for flavoursome coffee styles from around the world e.g. Vietnames coffee or Middle-Eastern coffee, which uses spices such as cardamom and cinnamon. Supermarket brands have so far been slow to tap into the many authentic and interesting coffee styles throughout the world. Restricted with travel, French consumers are less able to physically travel overseas this summer, and such coffee styles could help “transport” French drinkers into different cultural experiences.

Indian Origin Ground Coffee from Araku (France)

Source: Mintel GNPD

Araku Signature Origine Inde Café Moulu (Indian Origin Ground Coffee) comprises coffee from the plots of a single village in the Araku Valley, Eastern Ghats in India.

Indulgence still plays a big role in coffee

Indulgent flavours (eg. chocolate, vanilla) are still the most popular coffee flavours among consumers. Although we often see these flavours in syrup formats at coffee shops, there is a missed opportunity in ground coffee, as a 2019 Mintel study found that a significant amount of French coffee drinkers drink home-ground coffee.

Caramel Flavoured Organic Ground Coffee from Les Temps de Cerises (France)

Source: Mintel GNPD

This product comprises 100% arabica coffee which has been roasted according to traditional methods and through a slow consistent cooking to enhance its aromas.

Functional coffee with various benefits

Functional coffee launches are set to increase significantly in the next couple of years. Brands have licence to explore different functional benefits: from beauty, to gut health, to brain boosting. 

Relaxing: Mushrooms are becoming a trendy wellness ingredient with links to adaptogens. This Relax Mushroom Coffee is made from 95% freshly ground Colombian coffee and 5% mushroom extract powder. This product is said to be good for the consumer, family, and the planet.

Relax Mushroom Coffee from Superfoodies (UK)

Source: Mintel GNPD

Immunity-boosting: The latest Mintel research reveals that over a large part of French consumers are interested in drinks that can support their immune system since the start of the COVID-19/coronavirus outbreak.

Defense medium roast coffee from Vitamin coffee (UK)

Vitamin coffee (UK)

Source: https://vitamincoffee.co.uk/

Beauty benefits: There is also an opportunity for some brands to boost beauty through coffee, as today’s younger generation is more likely than previous cohorts to link what they eat and drink to how they look:

Glow Premium Arabica Collagen Coffee (Australia)

Source: Mintel GNPD

*Base: 1,619 French internet users aged 16+ who have drunk coffee in the last month