How Canadians are drinking coffee in 2026: A deep dive
Capturing the growing coffee marketing
Morning fuel
91% of Canadians surveyed report drinking coffee, while 40% say they are drinking it more often than a year ago versus only 8% drinking it less often. Consumption is highest in the morning and gradually declines through the day.
Takeaway: You can increase your basket size by following Circle-K’s $3 Meal Deal that pairs a medium coffee with a pastry or doughnut. Having them ready-to-go can be rewarded with loyalty points as the customers fuel up for the morning commute.
Who buys c-store coffee?
93% of coffee drinkers are away-from-home consumers; The report also found drinkers averaging 1.3 servings per day and away-from-home participation rises from 84% among boomers to 96% among Gen Z.
Takeaway: Make your drink selection appeal to younger customers. Cold coffee drinks are more popular with Gen Z and studies indicate that they are no longer seasonal.
READ: Brewing bigger profits
The top at-home brands are the same as OOH
For those who think that people will buy a different brand at home, the study reveals that the top at-home brands are the same as the ones bought out-of-home (OOH). If your c-store sells coffee pods like Keurig or Nespresso you’ll be surprised to learn the top five brands are the same for OOH.
- 25% drink Tim Hortons
- 19% drink McCafé
- 19% drink Nescafé/Nescafé Gold
- 19% drink Nespresso
- 18% drink Starbucks
Takeaway: Find which of your pods or ground coffee sells best. Offer a fresh cup of the local favourite with options to customize your drink to appeal to seasons, and dietary preferences.
With coffee drinkers buying coffee 1.3 cups day out-of-home, there’s an opportunity to profit from coffee.
