LONDON – On the International Coffee Day, the UK will drink 55 million cups of coffee1,2. International Coffee Day aims to bring together the coffee community from all over the UK, and indeed the world, to honour the farmers, men, and women who grow the coffee we love.
Chris Stemman, Executive Director of the British Coffee Association (BCA), says “In recent years we have moved from a nation of tea drinkers to a nation of coffee lovers and coffee aficionados. Coffee culture has exploded across the UK and consumers have a breadth of choices for the coffee they enjoy drinking, both at home and on the high street. We in the UK love our coffee, we’re even catching up with the size of the market in Italy, so International Coffee Day is the perfect way to celebrate it.”
So, what else is there to know about our beloved coffee? The British Coffee Association has compiled six facts that will enlighten even the most discerning of coffee drinkers on International Coffee Day:
- It takes 42 coffee beans to make an espresso
- Coffee is actually a fruit, coffee beans as we know them are the seeds of a cherry-like berry grown on bushes
- There are two main commercial types of coffee bean, Robusta and Arabica. Robusta is associated with a more bitter taste, a higher caffeine content, and grows at lower altitudes than Arabica
- 80% of UK households buy instant coffee for in-home consumption, particularly those aged 65 and older
- Ground coffee and single-serve coffee pods are becoming increasingly popular, particularly amongst millennials (aged 16 – 34) who account for 16% of all buyers
- On the high street, café culture has also continued to boom, 80% of people who visit coffee shops do so at least once a week, whilst 16% of us visit on a daily basis
Dr. Sarah Jarvis, General Practitioner, says, “Given how much coffee we do drink in the UK, it’s reassuring to know that coffee is one of the most well researched products in the world. The overwhelming evidence shows that in moderation, around 4 or 5 cups per day for most people, coffee can contribute to a healthy, balanced diet and is also associated with certain health benefits such as improving alertness, physical performance levels, decreasing risk of cognitive decline and possibly reducing risks of some cancers. Pregnant women, of course, should limit caffeine consumption, from all sources, to a maximum of 200mg per day.”
Get involved using #InternationalCoffeeDay on your social network
If you would like to get involved in International Coffee Day, you can post a selfie with your daily cup of coffee on twitter, using the hashtag: #InternationalCoffeeDay
Visit the gallery and website at www.internationalcoffeeday.org
