Comparing Coffee Trends In Italy And The US Explains A Lot!

Comparing coffee trends in the US and in Italy gives great examples of how the two different coffee cultures are different and how they are similar.

Coffee is consumed differently around the world, and that isn’t much of a surprise. There are some surprising differences between how people enjoy coffee in the US and how they do in Italy and appreciating these differences can help to better understand the coffee culture here in Italy.

Is Iced Coffee Important In Italy?

Given the proliferation of iced coffee in the US, the variants available at Starbucks and Dunkin and all the homemade versions, it isn’t surprising that the topic is popular during the entire year, but really trends up during the summer in the US.  There is free iced coffee, when available, at Krispy Kreme and caramel vanilla swirl iced coffee available at Starbucks and trends spike during the summer heat.

In Italy, while there are a growing number of Starbucks, the interest in iced coffees remains considerably lower than in the US. Take a look at the trend below and you will notice that the topics trend up in July, but only around 10% of the trend in the US. The Shakerato remains the cold summer coffee of choice, but at a considerable lower volume.

How Popular Is Starbucks In Italy?

They recently announced the 6th Starbucks location is opening in Rome, so simply on the scale of operations, Starbucks is in no way as popular as it is in the US. That said, it is crowded with tourists and locals alike and it is likely that plans are to continue to expand.

If you look at the trends of the Starbucks name, it is pretty flat, with the Italy trendline 7-10x as popular as in the US, which might not be surprising. In the US, since Starbucks isn’t new, how many people are searching for it online? In Italy, however, it is largely unknown and people want to learn more about it online.

The one exception to the trend is near the end of July when interest in Starbucks spikes in the US but goes largely ignored in Italy. The event is the Starbucks Fall Menu announcement for 2024. Call me surprised as this is a cultural touchstone of which I am gleefully ignorant, as is the majority in Italy.

Does Espresso Trend Up Or Down?

The trend lines for “Espresso” are generally flat. It is a known product that rarely changes and apart from the occasional spike, trends don’t go up nor down. The volume of the searches can be interesting. The volume in the US seems to be around 3-4X the volume in Italy pretty consistently. When you consider that the US population is around 6X that of Italy, it suggests Italians consistently look for espresso information quite a bit more frequently.

The occasional spikes I mentioned above look to be shopping related. The trends spike around Christmas seem to be tied to when new products are introduced, like the New Gaggia Classic E24 espresso machine that was announced last Christmas.

Is Pocket Coffee Growing In Popularity in the US?

Apart from a spike at the beginning of November last year, the trend for Pocket Coffee in the US is pretty flat. The product is not very well known yet in the US, but my belief is that it is changing. In Italy, you can notice a seasonal trend for Pocket Coffee that aligns with the product availability. If you were not aware, this chocolate candy filled with espresso is available in Italy from October to April/May-ish. Then Pocket Coffee becomes ice cream (gelato) and a strange cup with a straw for the summer months. During the Fall until the Spring, interest in Pocket Coffee remains elevated in Italy.

Do Italians Care About The Coffee Loophole?

The short answer to the question is NO, Italians are not interested in the Coffee Loophole. So, what is it? The Coffee Loophole is a “diet” that might be one of the most idiotic TikTok trends to hit your feed, which is saying something. Social media influencers claim that drinking a supplement-infused coffee within seven seconds of feeling hungry can help curb your appetite, making you feel full when you actually aren’t. The results claimed are that this will help you to lose weight.

While Italians do focus on health related trends, even some with dubious medical proof, this is one that doesn’t even register in Italy. Given the lower rate of obesity in Italy and the passion for food, it is unlikely that an Italian would use coffee as a way not to eat. Also, given how long it takes to brew an espresso, seven seconds isn’t nearly enough time.

Best Coffee Makers Aren’t Important To Everyone

It is definitely a part of American culture to pay attention to what is the “Best” version of something they are looking for. Tourists who come to Italy want to find the best carbonara, gelato, pizza, etc, and the same can be said for appliances. Ok, so do they are about the best coffee makers? You Betcha! The trend lines show a pretty consistent search for the best coffee maker with the expected uptrend as you approach the holiday buying season.

As a comparison, in Italy the interest is generally 0. Italians know that the Bialetti Moka is the best coffee maker ever made, and aren’t looking to replace theirs with something different. For me, the Moka is #1, but I am saving for a Smeg, which I know is the best without even searching for the opinion of others.

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