Pakistan, a tea-loving country traditionally, is gladly embracing the strong aroma, bold color and rich taste of coffee. Coffee consumption has witnessed sudden surge thanks to growing popularity of cafe culture especially in posh areas of cities like Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. In fact, out of home coffee consumption has immensely contributed to the increased in-house consumption as well.
The coffee culture surfaced in Pakistan with the launch of Espresso in 2004 in Karachi, but the market really exploded when Gloria Jean’s entered the arena in 2007. The trend, however, gained momentum post covid-19 when the youth took to the elegant coffee houses.
Coffee cafes have done a marvelous job of attracting teenagers and young adults to their outlets as they also offer them a chance to socialize with each other on a regular basis. This will also prompt them to consume more coffee at home, practically helping the coffee industry to achieve its sales targets.
The growing number of coffee shops, the obsession with social media and the endorsement of friends are some of the reasons why youths have come to prefer coffee shops over other haunts. It is also a fact that coffee is fast becoming the beverage of choice for the people of Pakistan. Cafes such as Drop, Melbrew, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf have played their pivotal role in making coffee a household beverage especially in the urban areas of the country.
Another encouraging trend that can further help this very industry to prosper is the stiff competition between local as well as international brands like Tim Hortons that are ready to leverage the great opportunity the increasing popularity of the coffee offers.It should also be an exciting competition because Pakistani brands will have an edge over famous international brands as they have a better understanding of the local market and its unique needs. However, we should not underestimate international companies as they are well equipped with global best practices. Many people strongly believe that there is also a chance for all of them to coexist profitably. Last but not the least, certain growth is imminent for all the coffee vendors, especially for high profile cafes. Coffee consumption in Pakistan will increase in coming years which will ensure sustainable growth. On-trade consumption will enjoy massive growth thanks to the growing trend of socializing with friends, relatives and colleagues at cafes. All these factors combine to portray a very positive future for this already extremely lucrative industry.