What will the business of coffee look like in 2050?

It’s 25 years since Allegra produced its first ground-breaking report on the UK branded coffee shop market. During this time, the global coffee industry has achieved success beyond the expectations of even the most optimistic forecaster – but today also faces unprecedented challenges. Tobias Pearce delves into Allegra’s quarter-century of industry knowledge to explore the technology, market forces and consumer trends that will shape coffee in 2050

It’s the year 2050. A barista avatar greets you in the coffee metaverse and presents the latest micro-lots from Italy and Australia. After selecting a roast profile, you’re prompted to choose your coffee purity and opt for a 25% synthetic blend with a fibre supplement. You select the cell-grown milk foam latte before $18, including drone delivery and climate tax, is charged to your wallet.

This scene is science fiction set 25 years in the future. It may seem outlandish, but so would today’s coffee industry back in 2000. 25 years ago, dial-up was the de-facto internet connection, most coffee shops did not have a website, polystyrene cups were standard and instant was everywhere.