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Coffee has long been a staple of Canada’s beverage spectrum. Global studies consistently place our country in the top five when measuring the number of litres of coffee that each Canadian consumes.
These studies have their naysayers, who claim that European nations that would never dream of concocting an “Americano” – such as Italy or Spain – cannot compare with Canada’s abundant containers of brewed non-espresso if we are measuring millilitres, and not servings.
With this in mind, Research Co. wanted to take a look at the coffee habits of British Columbians. We focused on consumption outside the home, which places people are more likely to visit or shun when they require caffeine, and just how many have embraced the environmentally friendly concept of using their own mug.
For starters, non-coffee drinkers are a minority. Only one in five British Columbians (20%) say they do not consume coffee outside of their home in a regular week. About three in five (59%) admit to drinking anywhere from one to six cups, while 22% consume seven or more cups of coffee in a week – a proportion that reaches 25% among residents of Metro Vancouver.
When British Columbians who drink coffee outside of their home are asked about their favourite place to get their fix, Tim Hortons is in first place with 43% of the “coffee vote,” followed by Starbucks at 31%. Other chains – such as Blenz, Second Cup and Waves – are in single digits.
Tim Hortons is ahead across all gender and age demographics in British Columbia, Starbucks gets is best showing among women (35%) and residents aged 18 to 34 (also 35%).
On a regional basis, Tim Hortons obliterates the competition in northern B.C. (61%), Vancouver Island (53%) and southern B.C. (42%). In coffee-loving Metro Vancouver, the two global brands are practically tied: Tim Hortons is the first choice for 39% of urban coffee drinkers, with Starbucks at 38%.