Alcohol - The biggest opportunity for coffee shops

Monday, 10 August 2015

New research, recently published by CGA Strategy, has highlighted the big opportunity for coffee shops to capitalise on the sale of alcohol. 

CGA questioned nearly 1,800 customers in June and found cocktails would be the preferred alcoholic drink in coffee shops with 31% of those surveyed stating this. Sparkling wine came in as the second most popular option with 26% saying they would like to drink this in coffee shops. 

The demand for alcohol in coffee shops in strongest among young people with 27% of those aged 35 and under stating they would be likely, or very likely, to drink alcohol in coffee shops if it were available. The research found that 25% would be the national average. 

Those coffee shops that choose to begin selling alcohol have the opportunity to increase footfall and open up the occasions that people would visit. Seventeen percent of people who do not currently visit coffee shops said that they would be likely to visit if alcohol was made available.

Gui Chipchase, Head of Licensing, for CPL Training said “I’m increasingly seeing businesses, such as coffee shops, contacting me with requests for licensing services. It appears that more hospitality businesses, who have previously not sold alcohol, are now seeing the potential benefits and increased revenue which could be potentially generated by making it available to customers at their venues. With Pubs and Bars becoming increasingly broadened in their offering, it makes sense that businesses such as coffee shops would look to adapt in order to compete.”