Coffeehouses are relatively new to the U.S. landscape. According to findings from the Specialty Coffee Association of America, only 500 specialty coffeehouses existed in 1982; it required seven years for the number of coffeehouses to double to 1,000 in 1989. Through the latter half of the 1990s, however, coffeehouses in the U.S. enjoyed rapid growth. By 2000, sales had reached $4.4 billion via an estimated 12,600 coffeehouses nationwide.

Between 2000 and 2003, sales increased by more than 50% to reach $6.9 billion, as the number of coffeehouses nationally increased by 38% to exceed 17,000 shops. Primary factors driving this growth include the increased perception that coffeehouses serve superior coffee, an interest in the wide variety of flavors, blends, and drinks provided by coffeehouses, and increases in demographic groups that favor coffeehouses. At present, there is no evidence to suggest decline among these trends.

Coffeehouses covered in this report are those that feature coffee as their primary sales item. Coffeehouses sell other items in addition to coffee, such as sweets, tea, travel mugs, coffee beans etc., but the main product is coffee and coffee-based beverages. The term coffeehouse is used interchangeably with coffee shop. Coffeehouses include freestanding stores, kiosks, and coffee carts, as well as those located in malls, office buildings, hospitals, etc. if operated independently of the facility that house them. The report excludes other types of outlets that sell coffee, such as restaurants, donut shops, truck stops, and diners (although some of these outlets are considered in the Consumer section of the report).

From the Specialty Coffee Association of America:

“For many years, meaningful research on retailing prepared specialty coffee beverages was practically non-existent. Thankfully, that changed in 2001 when Mintel released a report on the U.S. coffeehouse sector. Now, with input from the Specialty Coffee Association of America, this valuable report has been completely updated. Whether you're a small operator looking for the insight you need to grow your customer base, or a large supplier trying to make strategic decision about the future, you'll find this new report from Mintel provides information you cannot find anywhere else. The Specialty

Coffee Association of America is pleased to partner with Mintel on the 2004 coffeehouse report.”

A number of U.S. reports covering related sectors have been published, are planned, or are in preparation, including:

Dining Out Volume 2: Casual/Family Restaurants—U.S., consumer intelligence, June 2004

Dining Out Volume 1: QSR—U.S., consumer intelligence, April 2004

Yogurt Drinks—U.S., consumer intelligence, April 2004

Cream and Creamers—U.S., consumer intelligence, March 2004

Bread and Bagels—U.S., consumer intelligence, February 2004

Smoothies & Yogurt Drinks—U.S., consumer intelligence, February 2004

Coffee—U.S., consumer intelligence, January 2004

Non-carbonated Drinks—U.S., consumer intelligence, January 2004

Bottled Water—U.S., consumer intelligence, December 2003

Hispanics and Drink—U.S., consumer intelligence, December 2003

Store Brand Drink—U.S., consumer intelligence, November 2003

Functional Beverages—U.S., consumer intelligence, September 2003

Energy Drinks—U.S., consumer intelligence, July 2003

Distilled Spirits— Volume 2 White Spirits—U.S., consumer intelligence, June 2003

Tea—U.S., consumer intelligence, June 2003

Wine—U.S., consumer intelligence, June 2003

Distilled Spirits—Vol. 3 Dark Spirits—U.S., consumer intelligence, June 2003

Milk and Flavored Milk—U.S., consumer intelligence, April 2003

Malternatives (Flavored Alcoholic Beverages)—U.S., consumer intelligence, April 2003

Beer—U.S., consumer intelligence, February 2003

Carbonated Soft Drinks—U.S., consumer intelligence, February 2003

Fruit Juice and Juice Drinks—U.S., consumer intelligence, February 2003

Breakfast Drinks—U.S., consumer intelligence, November 2002