Generation Gap: Coffee on the Go

Traditional grocery store canned coffee such as Folgers and Maxwell House is a billion-dollar and still (slightly) growing business in the USA, but one under attack. Part of the problem is that younger people are less likely to drink coffee than older people: 37% of Americans 18 to 24 drink coffee, 60% of those 40 to 59, and 74% of those over 60. The bigger problem is that Americans increasingly drink their coffee "on the go" and not at home. Overall coffee sales went up 9% during 2001-06, but this statistic conceals the fact that grocery store sales went up barely, while sales at "restaurants" (including coffee shops) grew 15.2%. For more, see here.