Young people are hot for iced coffee – even when the weather isn't that warm

Irish Independent

20-07-2025

Almost three-quarters (74pc) of consumers in this category buy iced drinks regularly, almost double the proportion (40pc) of over-55s.
The findings emerge in the latest Spring and Summer Trends and Insights Report by UK-based coffee syrup manufacturer Beyond the Bean, which looked at stores across Ireland, the UK, US, Canada, Denmark and Poland.
It highlights that iced beverage consumption has surged by 26.7pc since 2023, driven mainly by Millennials and Gen Z.
'The report shows that this generation drinks cold drinks all year around – not just during the summer,' said Sheila Dowling, Bewley's Commercial Director.
'There is speculation that younger people will eventually revert to hot coffee, but I don't think that will be the case.
'If we look at sales data on Starbucks in the US, 80pc of their coffee is now served cold.'
The trend analysis found that under-30s who drink iced beverages make a purchase every week, with winter consumption six pc higher than average across all other age categories.
Despite the price of coffee soaring to global highs this year, Dowling suggests coffee may be an affordable luxury for younger people.
'Where people have disposable income is in colleges and university – they are more likely to spend their income than save for the rainy day,' she said.
'This year, the industry price of coffee rose higher than we'd ever seen in the Bewley's history of coffee - it more than doubled in price compared to this time last year.
'This has implications for the retailer and the customer – the price is going to affect people's pockets.
'Anecdotally, we hear that so many things have gone up in price, but coffee is seen as an affordable luxury.'
Separately, the Allegra Project Café Ireland 2025 report, published in April, shows that 18.7pc of male and female respondents order iced coffee on a weekly basis, compared with 25.2pc of males and 21.7pc of females who buy hot coffee.
Those living in Dublin are more likely to go iced, with 23.5pc ordering it weekly versus 16. pc outside the county.
Over a third of people (31.7pc) aged under-35 in Ireland said they buy iced coffee monthly, with just 10.2pc choosing hot coffee over the same time period.
To meet the growing demand for cold brew, Bewley's has spent 18 months sourcing the best cold brew product to bring to the Irish coffee market.
The Bewley's Columbian Fairtrade Cold Brew process involves coffee grounds being slowly steeped in cool water, which extracts a less acidic flavour from the bean.
The chemical profile and flavour are unique from conventional brewing methods because the ground coffee beans never come into contact with heated water.
'It isn't that the hot espresso over ice option is bad, but it is like comparing pink lady and granny smith apples – they're very different,' said Dowling.