Analysis of the Four Main Coffee Consumer Groups: 2023 Latest Coffee Shop Opening Guide

Coffee Consumption Trends and Market Analysis

According to the latest Meituan data, post-90s women are now the mainstream of coffee consumption, and the 20-40 yuan price band dominates the market. Meituan's delivery numbers show that between January and February of this year, coffee delivery orders grew 101.9% year-over-year while searches for coffee products rose 78.1%, placing coffee first among all food and beverage categories.

1. Post-90s Women Are the Largest User Group for Fresh Coffee

Meituan's data shows that China's freshly brewed coffee consumers are concentrated among women aged 22-32, typically with some higher education and without children. And that boundary keeps widening. The gender split among fresh coffee users holds steady at roughly 3:7. Post-90s consumers form the core of the user base at about 50%, though their share has drifted slightly downward in recent years, with post-80s users and younger consumers both ticking upward.

2. Daily Consumption Trend is Evident, 20-40 Yuan is the Mainstream Price Range

In per-capita spending terms, Meituan's online stores in the 20-40 yuan range dominate. Over the past three years this segment's share of stores has climbed steadily—from under 50% in 2020 to nearly 70% in 2022. Pressed by the pandemic and by coffee's shift into a daily habit, the number of stores nationwide in the 40-60 yuan range has fallen by nearly 60%.

3. Lunch Period Has the Highest Order Share, Breakfast Scene Shows Significant Growth

Coffee delivery peaks between 10 AM and 2 PM, when delivery orders account for over 40% of the total. Compared with 2020, breakfast coffee orders took a significant leap in 2021. More and more users are starting their day on a cup of coffee, and for cafés the breakfast daypart is full of untapped potential.

4. Convenience, Discounts, and Scenarios Are the Three Main Factors Affecting Coffee Shop Visit Rates

According to the survey behind the report, among users who choose in-store pickup, "it's on my way" leads at 79.57%—a clear signal that location convenience is what customers want most. "Saving delivery fees" accounts for 40.97%, and "habit, or a preference for the in-store atmosphere and aroma" accounts for 40.03%.

The practical takeaway: coffee shops should stay small and efficient. There's no need for a large footprint, which keeps rent in check. Offering delivery adds order volume, traffic, and visibility. But do keep some seating—part of the coffee experience is drinking it in person. Offline, shops can also run simple promotions, such as trading a stack of delivery orders for a free drink, to nudge online customers into the store to experience proper coffee service.

5. County-Level Coffee Market Is Strongly Emerging

Coffee consumption in county-level markets is also growing fast. Between January and February of this year, coffee order growth in third- and fourth-tier cities hit 104.19%, outpacing the 72.14% growth in first- and second-tier cities. The top five counties (including county-level cities) for coffee consumption are Yanji, Yiwu, Kunshan, Zhangjiagang, and Jiangyin. And unlike big cities, where coffee tracks office hours, Yanji shows a second demand peak between 4-8 PM, with evening orders making up as much as 19.2% of the total.

Beyond that, coffee orders delivered to hotels grew 129.9% year-over-year, orders to office buildings and parks grew 52.1%, and orders to parks and scenic areas grew 89.2%.

6. Product Preferences: Coffee-Milk Tea Fusion Trend

On the product side, the coconut latte—the drink that kicked off the whole "coffee-meets-milk-tea" trend—remains the most popular coffee delivery item. Three of the five best-selling products are latte-style: the coconut latte, the classic latte, and the cream cheese latte. The other two spots belong to the Americano and the strong Americano.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

For anyone opening a shop—or simply stocking up for daily brewing on the trends above—FrontStreet Coffee's entry-level specialty beans are a natural fit. The washed Guodingding Cooperative from Ethiopia's Yirgacheffe delivers jasmine florals, lemon acidity, and berry tones in a crowd-pleasing, budget-friendly cup, while the natural Huakui from Sidamo leans into tropical fruit: berries, jackfruit, sweet melon, and honey.

If your menu leans espresso and milk drinks, FrontStreet Coffee's PWN Golden Mandheling from Indonesia is the pick—three rounds of hand sorting and once machine sorting keep the cup clean and smooth, with clear woody notes and caramel sweetness that cut beautifully through milk.