AUSTRALIA’S EIGHT-BILLION-DOLLAR COFFEE HABIT OUTSTRIPS SOME PACIFIC ECONOMIES

Coffee is a daily ritual for most Australians

Australians are spending more than eight billion dollars a year on coffee, according to new research commissioned by dairy co-operative Norco to mark International Coffee Day.

The survey suggests coffee is both a daily ritual and a resilient household expense, even as budgets tighten.

Norco’s data points to the consumption of 4.1 billion litres annually. The company equates that to filling.Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium nearly 370 times, and the Sydney Cricket Ground more than 200 times.

Sixty per cent of respondents say they do not feel like themselves until the first sip, while 68 per cent rank coffee as the most essential part of their day.

The research also highlights how spending stacks up internationally. Norco says the annual Australian coffee outlay exceeds the gross domestic product of some Pacific nations.

At the café and at home, milk remains central to how Australians drink coffee. Almost a third of respondents, 29 per cent, say milk quality makes the difference in the cup, with texture the top priority for 40 per cent.

Milk-based styles dominate the preferences listed in the survey. Cappuccino sits at 26 per cent, flat white at 21 per cent and latte at 18 per cent.

The kitchen bench is increasingly a substitute for the coffee bar. Twenty-four per cent of respondents report owning pod machines.

Eighteen per cent have invested in barista-style equipment, and 15 per cent use plungers or AeroPress kits. That shift aligns with the finding that coffee is one of the last small luxuries people are willing to give up.

Thirty per cent say takeaway coffee would be the final indulgence to go, ahead of sweets, streaming or travel.

The release includes one respondent’s sentiment: they would cancel streaming before cancelling a daily latte.

The methodology for the survey is not detailed in the material provided, so the figures should be treated as commissioned research reflecting the participants sampled.

The findings nevertheless echo broader trends seen in the market over recent years: stable demand for milk-based coffee styles and a rise in home equipment ownership.

Technical advice in the release focuses on fundamentals for home brewers seeking café-style results.

“The extraction process is the engine, and Norco milk is the icing on the cake,” said Brett Barfoot, owner of Mr Barista Coffee Training.

“To get the perfect shot of coffee, it comes down to three things: dose, yield, and extraction time. Nail those and add a little love, and you’ve got the foundation for a great cup.”

“And for all the milky coffee lovers out there, Norco milk takes your daily brew to the next level.

Start by holding the steam wand just under the surface to stretch and create microfoam, lower the jug as it expands, then sink the wand deeper to fold the milk into a smooth, even texture.

Once finished, tap to remove any big bubbles, swirl to texture, and pour in circles to fold the milk through.