Coffee Night Markets Becoming a Trend! Late Night is When Coffee Shops Do Their Best Business!

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In most people's impression, isn't it that coffee is mostly consumed during the day, and that one should avoid drinking alcohol before bed, let alone strong tea or coffee? The caffeine in these beverages stimulates the central nervous system, making it difficult for us to fall asleep. Even if we do manage to sleep, the quality of our sleep will be affected.

However, as the number of coffee consumers continues to grow, coffee nightlife seems to be becoming a new trend. The "small trend" of drinking coffee later and later appears to be gradually forming among contemporary young people.

The Rise of Coffee Night Markets

Recently, according to a report by CCTV Finance, a commercial street in Guangdong has transformed into a "coffee night market," where 14 coffee shops of different styles gather along a street less than 100 meters long. After 9 PM, every coffee shop's outdoor seating area fills with young people enjoying coffee, with the bustling atmosphere comparable to that of a food night market. There's now a popular saying: "Coffee is the adult's daytime alcohol—providing energy in the morning and sustaining life in the afternoon." This demonstrates the importance of coffee in contemporary society.

Observations reveal that customers at coffee night markets are predominantly young people. They order a cup of coffee, sit outside the shop, chat, play games, and relax—just thinking about it sounds delightful. The closing times for night market coffee shops are generally after midnight, with several cafes even beginning 24-hour operations like convenience stores.

The manager of one coffee shop mentioned that they opened around July this year and basically started 24-hour operations by the second month, with the busiest period being from 8 PM to 3 AM. Other coffee shop managers further stated, "Revenue from 8 PM to 4 AM can account for 70% of our daily turnover, and customer traffic can also account for 70%, or even 80%."

New Business Models and Consumer Preferences

Coffee shops in night markets generally adopt a "small shop + outdoor seating" model, which can simultaneously meet both daytime essential needs and evening social scenarios. Compared to indoor seating, young consumers prefer drinking coffee outdoors. Groups of three to five can gather at a table, while those who prefer not to be disturbed can even move a small chair to a quieter corner. The extension of coffee shop operating hours actually provides customers with an additional nighttime social venue. In many cities, "coffee night markets" continue to gain popularity.

In recent years, the coffee market has been rapidly expanding, with the growth rate of coffee stores continuously accelerating. Besides large chain coffee shops, consumer acceptance of specialty coffee shops has also been gradually increasing. To avoid "homogenization" competition, specialty coffee shops have each come up with their own strategies, from decor to products, full of creativity and novel ideas, using various promotional methods to carve out a place in the coffee market.

Market Growth and Future Trends

According to the latest "2022-2023 China Coffee Industry Development and Consumer Demand Big Data Monitoring Report" released by iiMedia Research, China's coffee market is entering a stage of rapid development, with new brands emerging at a faster pace. It is expected that the coffee industry will maintain a growth rate of 27.2%, with China's market size reaching 1 trillion yuan by 2025. Affected by the volatile pandemic situation, coffee companies face short-term impacts. To promote normal sales of coffee products, coffee shops have adopted extended operating hours, which not only meets consumers' needs for various usage scenarios but also reduces the impact of pandemic volatility.

With changes in people's dining concepts, the "survival models" of coffee shops are also gradually evolving. Previously, coffee shops basically opened at 1 PM. Later, driven by "daily coffee consumption," consumers gradually became accustomed to morning coffee, and coffee shops began opening earlier and earlier. Now, with more and more people "drinking coffee like water," nighttime operations might also bring new growth to a batch of coffee shops.

The Future of Coffee Culture

The new generation of coffee enthusiasts drives the emergence of endless new consumption scenarios, allowing more coffee business models to be continuously explored. At the same time, this also drives the iterative upgrading of the entire industry chain. The future of the coffee market is promising, but how to stand out from the crowd is something every coffee company needs to carefully consider.

Image source: Internet

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