Nespresso Professional, a leading provider of premium coffee solutions for businesses, has published new research into the factors influencing business choices when purchasing coffee. Despite a challenging economic climate and concerns over the cost of doing business, the 2,000 business leaders surveyed are still prioritising sustainability when buying coffee.
When asked which factors were most important to business decision makers when choosing coffee; 90% said taste and 62% said cost with 54% selecting environmental sustainability. In Greater London, respondents were more likely to choose environmental sustainability than cost as a key factor in their coffee purchases.
Nearly 90% of business leaders said it was important for coffee brands to address the threat of climate change – no surprise when 40% claim that they could not live without coffee. Professionals in finance were the most likely to agree with this last statement.
Gen Z business owners and decision-makers are most conscious of sustainability, with nearly 9/10 preferring coffee brands that actively promote their sustainability efforts, compared to 7/10 of respondents overall.
The future of coffee is an area of concern for business owners and decision makers of all ages. Almost 90% said they were willing to make changes to safeguard the future of coffee and just 7% said that they would not consider swapping their usual coffee bean or roast for a more sustainable option.
Currently, 60% of wild coffee species are endangered and 50% of the land used to grow coffee today could be unviable by 2050. Fine-grade Arabica is particularly vulnerable to weather shocks. Securing and protecting the future of high-quality coffee has been central to Nespresso’s strategy for the last 20 years. Launched in 2003 in collaboration with Rainforest Alliance, the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program helps to improve the yield and quality of harvests while protecting the environment and improving the livelihoods of farmers and their communities.
With over 90% of business leaders saying they recycle the packaging of their coffee solution at least sometimes, nearly half indicated they only buy coffee products with packaging that they can easily recycle. Third-party certifications like B-Corp, Fairtrade, and Organic were seen as important for 80% of respondents in their choice of coffee overall and particularly for larger businesses with between 100 and 500 employees.
Nick Stevens, commercial director B2B at Nespresso Professional, said: “We know from past research that consumers are increasingly concerned about the sustainability of their food and drink, but this research demonstrates that businesses are acting in response. At Nespresso Professional, we are committed to meeting these expectations by offering high-quality coffee solutions that align with our customers’ sustainability priorities, in offices and hospitality venues across the UK.”
Nespresso Professional offers a comprehensive recycling programme, providing specialised recycling bags and collection services to its office and hospitality partners free of charge. The aluminum capsules are recycled whilst the coffee grounds are repurposed for compost or energy production.
