2020 has been an incredibly tricky year for businesses, but the coffee industry appears to be strong. We explore why a coffee franchise is a worthy investment, despite the challenges facing the food and hospitality industry!
A Surprisingly Successful Year
Despite this year’s obstacles, the World Coffee Portal reports that consumer spending at coffee shops is set to reach over £4 billion for 2020. This is an outstanding figure considering the challenges faced by the food and hospitality industry at the hands of lockdown restrictions and social distancing measures.
Reflecting on the First Lockdown
When the initial national lockdown restrictions eased at the start of July 2020, the first thing most UK citizens naturally chose to do was to see friends and family.
Close behind, in second place, was visiting a coffee shop! Once a nation renowned for loving tea, it appears that many of us have missed a fresh, professionally made cup of coffee over the first lockdown period!
The Facts
Allegra World Coffee Portal surveyed over 3,000 UK consumers which revealed that 55% of those who took part visited a coffee shop or coffee since the alleviation of the first lockdown. This figure topped visitations to bars, pubs and restaurants, which totalled at 28%.
The survey also discovered that, out of the 55% of those who visited a coffee shop:
• 43% exclusively bought takeaway
• 22% chose to sit-in
• 35% purchased takeaway and opted to dine in
A whopping 22% of those surveyed also chose to visit coffee shops and cafés between five and nine times within the first few months of lockdown easing.
What to Expect From the Second Lockdown
These figures of UK consumers and the coffee industry from the first lockdown provide promising results for the future of cafes and coffee shops. The World Coffee Portal also revealed that 1 in 6 UK consumers purchase hot beverages from ‘traditional cafes’.
With the second lockdown coming to an end on 2nd December 2020, some coffee establishments have been serving takeaway food and drink throughout the second lockdown period, providing eager customers with a flicker of normality and something to look forward to, during an otherwise bleak time.
Keeping Customers Safe
Coffee shops have stepped up their game when it comes to providing a safe and sanitised environment during the pandemic. The feedback from the first lockdown revealed that 47% of those in the Allegra World Coffee Portal survey felt safe when visiting coffee establishments during social distancing.
Here at Esquires Coffee, we have gone above and beyond to ensure the safety of both our staff and customers during this uncertain time. To find out how we have provided optimum safety throughout our stores, click on the link below!
Franchising with Esquires Coffee
Here at Esquires Coffee, we are devoted to creating delicious Fairtrade and organic coffee, while ensuring the complete safety of our staff and customers.
We are a fast-growing business, at the forefront of the coffee market, offering plenty of opportunities to those entrepreneurs who are seeking exciting prospects in the coffee and food industry. We focus on quality as a coffee franchise, with a loyal customer base who are environmentally and socially driven. Our independent-feel stores and unique branding are loved up and down the country from Bournemouth all the way to Sunderland.
If you are interested to know more about our ethos at Esquires Coffee, discover the many advantages of working with us as a franchisee in our blog below!
If you have read enough about the diverse opportunities we offer and curious for the next step, why not contact us for more information? Click on the link below to complete our online application and receive more information about our franchising programmes!
About the author - Jack Anderson
Jack has been working in the franchise sector for over 12 years and is our in-house guru on all things business! Jack is also a keen hiker and can be found in some of the UK's best walking spots on the weekends.
