Data Bites: 2026 Office Coffee Trends

It's officially coffee season. With National Coffee Day on September 29 and International Coffee Day right behind it on October 1, there's no better time to look at what's actually happening with coffee in the office.

Despite a lot more competition in the fridge, coffee isn't going anywhere. Nearly 195M US adults drink coffee every week, and we're seeing that same demand across Crafty-powered pantries.

Here's what we're seeing in the coffee category.

2026 Office Coffee Stats

Coffee’s share of pantry spend stays remarkably steady quarter to quarter. But underneath that consistency, the category is shifting. The formats that make up coffee are growing at very different rates, revealing where employee preferences are moving.

Here’s what Crafty’s proprietary office pantry data shows:

• Coffee holds steady: 13% of pantry spend with little quarterly fluctuation.
• Cold brew surges: Units grew 215% YoY, the fastest-growing format.
• Pods climb: Units grew 164% YoY as single-serve demand grows.
• Creamers gain: Units grew 77% YoY alongside demand for customization.
• Beans rise: Units grew 67% YoY, the slowest of the four formats.

What’s Changing in Office Coffee

Coffee has always been a staple of the employee routine, but how employees take their coffee keeps evolving. New formats, flavors, brands, and coffee machines are changing what that daily cup looks like in the office.

Cold Brew Has Gone Year-Round

Cold brew used to peak with the temperature. Now, employees are reaching for it year-round. Units grew 215% year over year, making cold brew the fastest-growing coffee format we track.

We’re also seeing employees get creative with it. One popular Snack Hack pairs cold brew with protein drinks for an easy afternoon boost. 

Top Cold Brew Brands:

• La Colombe
• Wandering Bear
• Rise Brewing Company
• Big Shoulders  

Local Roasters Help Tailor to Each Office

Coffee is one of the easiest places to make the pantry feel more specific to each office. Alongside national staples, local and regional roasters give teams a chance to bring in brands employees already know and love.

That could mean Philz in California, Dark Matter Coffee in Chicago, and a different local go-to roaster in every market. This keeps your office coffee experience consistent across offices, while tailoring it to the employees you serve.

Top Local Coffee Brands:

• Chicago: Intelligentsia, Dark Matter Coffee, Hexe Coffee Co, Big Shoulders, and more
• California: Philz Coffee, Peet's Coffee, Blue Bottle Coffee, Verve, and more
• New York/Tri-State: BKG Coffee Roasters and more
• Texas: Chameleon, Fara Coffee, High Brew Coffee and more 

Coffee Is Part of the Daily Office Routine

For all the changes within coffee, the habit itself remains remarkably consistent. Coffee continues to account for 13% of pantry spend, holding steady quarter over quarter even as the broader beverage lineup expands.

Employees have more drink options than ever, from sparkling water to functional beverages, but they’re making room for them alongside coffee. That same pattern shows up across the broader beverage mix in our latest pantry benchmarks.

Market Trends Impacting Office Coffee Consumption 

The shifts we’re seeing in the pantry make a lot more sense when you zoom out. Coffee habits are changing everywhere, and many of those same preferences are starting to shape what employees reach for at work.

• Specialty is becoming the norm:
  Past-week consumption of espresso-based drinks like lattes has grown from 40% to 45% since 2022, according to the National Coffee Association. We’re seeing a similar shift in the pantry, where pods and creamers are growing at rapid rates.
• Younger employees are changing the coffee run:
  Coffee consumption among 18- to 26-year-olds has grown more than 30% since 2020. As more of this generation enters the workforce, preferences for cold coffee, more customization, and independent brands are coming with them.
• Convenience matters more than ever:
  Sometimes you want a fresh cup. Sometimes you just want to grab a cold brew and get back to your desk. The global cold brew market is projected to grow from $821.7M to $2.6B by 2033, and we’re seeing that demand firsthand with cold brew units up 215% YoY across Crafty-powered pantries.

Turn Coffee Trends Into Smarter Decisions

Coffee is personal, which makes changing the lineup a little tricky. The goal is to protect the favorites employees count on while finding the right places to introduce something new. Here’s how to put the data to work:

• Protect your staples: Coffee is a daily ritual. Keep high-performing coffee, milk, and creamer options in place when employees consistently reach for them.
• Use slow movers to experiment: Products with lower consumption give you room to test a new roast, format, or local brand without disrupting the core lineup.
• Let employees weigh in: Before making a bigger change, use Employee Voting to get a gut check. Crafty lets you narrow the vote to specific products so you get feedback you can actually act on.
• Have fun with the fixings: Creamers, milks, and syrups are an easy place to rotate flavors, bring in seasonal options, and add variety without changing the coffee employees rely on.

Conclusion

Coffee remains one of the most consistent habits in the office, but the way employees take it keeps evolving. From cold brew to local roasters, the opportunity is to give employees more ways to make their daily coffee routine their own.

Dive into the latest workplace pantry data inside the Pantry Intelligence Index.