2018 Square Canada Coffee Report

Canada Coffee Consumption

Fall is here and it’s the perfect time to cozy up with a cup of joe on International Coffee Day (October 1). To celebrate Canada’s favourite caffeinated beverage we looked at what Canadians are consuming at their local coffee shops in our 2018 Square Canada Coffee Report, which is based on data from millions of anonymized transactions from hundreds of coffee shops across the country, collected between June 2017 and June 2018.

We found out some fascinating facts about how Canada likes to enjoy their daily cup of coffee.

Lattes take the caffeinated cake

Canadians love their lattes - it’s the most ordered drink at coffee shops, with americanos and drip coffees being the second and third most popular options. Manitoba is the province with the most affordable latte in the country ($3.70 on average), whereas Albertans are willing to pay an average price of $5.43 for one. Lattes are most popular in Nova Scotia, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, with americanos taking the top spot in Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia. Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador prefer drip coffee.

Fastest growing coffee beverages

In the past year, the cortado and flat white have taken Canadian coffee shops by storm as the fastest growing coffee beverages. For international coffee drinkers, these menu items are old news. But here in the true north, we’re just catching on to these low-milk coffee concoctions. Sales of the Spanish style Cortado have skyrocketed by 97% in the past year. Cortado comes from the Spanish word cortar, which means ‘to cut.’ With this drink, equal parts steamed milk to espresso are combined, in efforts to “cut” the espresso to reduce the acidity and intensity of the drink. Unlike many other popular espresso drinks, the cortado contains little to no foam.

Inspired by Australia’s favourite beverage, flat white sales have increased 81% in the past year. How does a flat white differ from a latte or cortado? It’s typically made in a 6 oz cup with a double shot of espresso and 4 oz of steamed milk. Because that’s a lot less milk than a typical latte, and a less airy froth than a cappuccino, that means more coffee flavour throughout with no foam layer on top.

Cold brew chills iced coffee sales

Cold coffee beverages are still popular but by the summer of 2018, cold brew orders began to outpace iced coffee by 85%. Alternative or non-dairy milks have secured their spots on coffee shop menus across the globe, and according to consumers and baristas alike, they’re here to stay. Sales of soy milk have remained steady in the last year but almond milk is Canada’s favourite dairy-free alternative milk.

We’re all big fans of coffee here at Square. Not only do we love a cup of joe, but we also love all of our sellers that peddle those cups of magic!