Land of the long flat white
Auckland, 24 March 2016 – A new nationwide survey reveals more than one in four Kiwis can’t function properly without
drinking coffee.
Canstar Blue surveyed more than 1,800 New Zealanders who had visited a coffee shop chain in the past six months.
Aucklanders and 30 to 39s were most reliant on coffee to help them get through the day, says Jose George, Canstar
General Manager, New Zealand.
“We Kiwis love our coffee. It’s a habit that many of us enjoy; for many in the survey (65%) a café coffee is seen as a
special treat. Women (71%) are more likely than men (59%) to reward themselves with a café coffee, whereas
Wellingtonians are least likely to view café coffee as a treat or a reward.”
Despite a love for coffee, many in the survey have tried to stop drinking coffee in the past 12 months (15%) or
restricted their café coffee habit to save money (42%). More than half of the survey’s youth (55% of 18 to 29s) said
they had curbed their coffee habit in order to save compared to just a quarter of the over 70s.
George says that coffee substitutes as breakfast for many.
“A quarter overall and a third of 18 to 29s and 30 to 39s say they often consider coffee to be their breakfast.
Thankfully, this habit declines as people get older. Coffee is a great beverage but it’s no substitute for a healthy
breakfast.”
What’s most important to coffee drinkers?
When examining drivers of satisfaction, taste comes out tops, says George.
“Taste is the most important factor (30%), followed by value for money (21%), and quality of food (19%). Customer
service ranks fourth (15%), followed by consistency across stores (10%).
“Loyalty programmes (4%) rated least important of all the factors examined, suggesting that if coffee chains get the
most important factors right then customer loyalty might just take care of itself. Certainly a loyalty programme
couldn’t compensate for poor tasting, overpriced coffee and bad food.”
The survey asked participants to rate the coffee shop chain across the following variables:
1. Value for money (i.e. is it worth the money paid)
2. Customer service
3. Taste of coffee
4. Quality of food
5. Loyalty programme
6. Consistency across stores
7. Overall satisfaction
Muffin Break takes Canstar Blue’s top honours for overall satisfaction in a hotly contested field of 11 coffee shop
chains, says George.
“Muffin Break achieved five star ratings in four categories (overall satisfaction, customer service, quality of food,
loyalty programme and consistency across stores).
“Over the past 20 years, Muffin Break has grown to 43 sites. It’s pleasing they have been able to maintain their high
standards as the brand has grown from its humble beginnings nearly two decades ago.”
Coffee shop chain 2016
http://www.canstarblue.co.nz/food-drink/coffee-shop-chains/
Coffee shop chain habits/attitudes by region: (exceptions only)
Auckland
More likely to say they can’t function properly without drinking coffee (32%). More likely to say they have tried to
stop drinking coffee in the past 12 months (17%). More likely to often consider coffee to be their breakfast (30%). More
likely to suffer withdrawal symptoms when they don’t have the amount of coffee they are used to (23%).
Waikato
More likely to see café coffee as a treat/reward (70%).
Wellington
More likely to have restricted their café coffee habit to save money (45%). Least likely (equal with Otago) to suffer
withdrawal symptoms when they don’t have the amount of coffee they are used to (19%). Least likely to see café coffee as
a treat/reward (62%).
Canterbury
Equal least likely (with Otago) to say they can’t function properly without drinking coffee (25%).
Otago
Equal least likely (with Canterbury) to say they can’t function properly without drinking coffee (25%). Equal least
likely (with BOP) to often consider coffee to be their breakfast (19%). Least likely (equal with Wellington) to suffer
withdrawal symptoms when they don’t have the amount of coffee they are used to (19%).
Bay of Plenty
Least likely to restrict their café coffee habit to save money (35%), least likely to have tried to stop drinking coffee
in the past 12 months (10%). Equal least likely (with Otago) to often consider coffee to be their breakfast (19%).
*This geographical breakdown outlines exceptions only
About the survey
Canstar Blue commissioned Colmar Brunton Australia to use the ConsumerLink panel to survey 2,500 New Zealand consumers
across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction.
The outcomes reported here are the results from a survey of Kiwis who visited a coffee shop chain in the last six
months. In this case there were 1846 people surveyed.
ENDS
>1in 4 can’t function properly without coffee
Auckland, 24 March 2016 – A new nationwide survey reveals more than one in four Kiwis can’t function properly without
drinking coffee.
Canstar Blue surveyed more than 1,800 New Zealanders who had visited a coffee shop chain in the past six months.
Aucklanders and 30 to 39s were most reliant on coffee to help them get through the day, says Jose George, Canstar
General Manager, New Zealand.
“We Kiwis love our coffee. It’s a habit that many of us enjoy; for many in the survey (65%) a café coffee is seen as a
special treat. Women (71%) are more likely than men (59%) to reward themselves with a café coffee, whereas
Wellingtonians are least likely to view café coffee as a treat or a reward.”
Despite a love for coffee, many in the survey have tried to stop drinking coffee in the past 12 months (15%) or
restricted their café coffee habit to save money (42%). More than half of the survey’s youth (55% of 18 to 29s) said
they had curbed their coffee habit in order to save compared to just a quarter of the over 70s.
George says that coffee substitutes as breakfast for many.
“A quarter overall and a third of 18 to 29s and 30 to 39s say they often consider coffee to be their breakfast.
Thankfully, this habit declines as people get older. Coffee is a great beverage but it’s no substitute for a healthy
breakfast.”
What’s most important to coffee drinkers?
When examining drivers of satisfaction, taste comes out tops, says George.
“Taste is the most important factor (30%), followed by value for money (21%), and quality of food (19%). Customer
service ranks fourth (15%), followed by consistency across stores (10%).
“Loyalty programmes (4%) rated least important of all the factors examined, suggesting that if coffee chains get the
most important factors right then customer loyalty might just take care of itself. Certainly a loyalty programme
couldn’t compensate for poor tasting, overpriced coffee and bad food.”
The survey asked participants to rate the coffee shop chain across the following variables:
1. Value for money (i.e. is it worth the money paid)
2. Customer service
3. Taste of coffee
4. Quality of food
5. Loyalty programme
6. Consistency across stores
7. Overall satisfaction
Muffin Break takes Canstar Blue’s top honours for overall satisfaction in a hotly contested field of 11 coffee shop
chains, says George.
“Muffin Break achieved five star ratings in four categories (overall satisfaction, customer service, quality of food,
loyalty programme and consistency across stores).
“Over the past 20 years, Muffin Break has grown to 43 sites. It’s pleasing they have been able to maintain their high
standards as the brand has grown from its humble beginnings nearly two decades ago.”
Coffee shop chain 2016
http://www.canstarblue.co.nz/food-drink/coffee-shop-chains/
Coffee shop chain habits/attitudes by region: (exceptions only)
Auckland
More likely to say they can’t function properly without drinking coffee (32%). More likely to say they have tried to
stop drinking coffee in the past 12 months (17%). More likely to often consider coffee to be their breakfast (30%). More
likely to suffer withdrawal symptoms when they don’t have the amount of coffee they are used to (23%).
Waikato
More likely to see café coffee as a treat/reward (70%).
Wellington
More likely to have restricted their café coffee habit to save money (45%). Least likely (equal with Otago) to suffer
withdrawal symptoms when they don’t have the amount of coffee they are used to (19%). Least likely to see café coffee as
a treat/reward (62%).
Canterbury
Equal least likely (with Otago) to say they can’t function properly without drinking coffee (25%).
Otago
Equal least likely (with Canterbury) to say they can’t function properly without drinking coffee (25%). Equal least
likely (with BOP) to often consider coffee to be their breakfast (19%). Least likely (equal with Wellington) to suffer
withdrawal symptoms when they don’t have the amount of coffee they are used to (19%).
Bay of Plenty
Least likely to restrict their café coffee habit to save money (35%), least likely to have tried to stop drinking coffee
in the past 12 months (10%). Equal least likely (with Otago) to often consider coffee to be their breakfast (19%).
*This geographical breakdown outlines exceptions only
About the survey
Canstar Blue commissioned Colmar Brunton Australia to use the ConsumerLink panel to survey 2,500 New Zealand consumers
across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction.
The outcomes reported here are the results from a survey of Kiwis who visited a coffee shop chain in the last six
months. In this case there were 1846 people surveyed.
ENDS