Deliveroo Spills the ‘Beans’ on the UAE for International Coffee Day

1 October 2022 –In the last decade, the coffee culture in the UAE has seen an exponential evolution. The country is now home to some of the best roasteries and homegrown cafés that cater to the widely-loved experience that goes with consuming the popular beverage. While artisanal coffee shops have gained popularity, UAE residents are also looking to enjoy their favourite brew from any location, and when it comes to food and beverages (especially coffee) - Deliveroo gets it. To celebrate International Coffee Day on the 1st of October, Deliveroo is giving a peek into UAE’s love for the bean and passion for the beverage through some exciting coffee trends.

Battle of the coffees Ask anyone how they take their coffee and an intensely detailed response will excitingly follow. While the answer may vary from milky, creamy, frothy, sweet, strong, bitter, and black just to name a few, the extensive Deliveroo survey conducted by YouGov has established that everyone in the UAE takes their coffee - very, very seriously. Approximately 28% of the respondents are fans of Italian coffee, which means a sizable chunk of UAE love a classic Cappuccino! Coming second is its cousin, the Latte, at 10% which is then followed by Turkish coffee at 9%. The battle of the bitter vs sweet is still going strong with both the sharp Americano and chocolatey Mocha, tying for 7%. Adding in a little special something also seems to be a popular trend amongst coffee drinkers with about 16% preferring to add a sweet touch of caramel! Other favourites remain vanilla standing at 11%, cardamom at 10% and hazelnut at 9%.

To pair or not to pair? While a cup of coffee on its own is a wholesome experience, paired with a little side-buddy, makes it purely divine. More than half of the coffee aficionados would prefer to have a bite of either some savoury sandwiches or some indulgent munchies like a croissant, biscuits or best - a piece of cake, with their cup of coffee. Deliveroo also revealed that there is a small community (6%) of coffee lovers who enjoy their daily coffee with a coddling portion of ice cream! Adding a little ‘razzle-dazzle’ to the indulgence are toasted nuts, enjoyed also by around 6% of coffee drinkers. That said, Deliveroo is sure that the 4% who prefer to keep their choices ‘under wraps’ are those who believe that what goes best with a cup of coffee is of course another cup!

Cautious vs. adventurous ‘To try or not to try’ poses a tempting question to coffee drinkers with a myriad of coffee blends out there. A quick search on Deliveroo depicts endless options making lovers of all things coffee think twice before going with the usual or perhaps being slightly experimental. A whopping 71% which is almost three-quarters of the respondents revealed that when it comes to coffee they do not mind being adventurous! That is an eye-opening number about the excitement shared across the UAE to try out a new blend. The other 29% seem to have found their holy grail, preferring to go with their favourite blend all year round and never running the risk of going wrong with their precious coffee of choice. Can’t blame them because simply repeating the previous coffee order on Deliveroo is as therapeutic as rewatching an old-time favourite film - the repeats never let you down!

The perfect roast If not all, it’s the roast of the bean that dictates most of a coffee’s rich flavour. The spectrum starting from the light blonde to the ultimate dark coffee roast is one that a true coffee connoisseur can only distinguish! More than half of the coffee lovers, around 66%, like to balance it out and go for a Medium roast. Going light with a punch of flavour are 24% and the remaining 10% like their beans dark and flavourful. While everyone has their own way of going about their coffee - a common desire unites us all - may the morning dose of caffeine kick in before reality does!