Bengaluru : Ahead of International Coffee Day, a new PulseAI Research study of 1000 respondents finds that coffee is becoming a more frequent and varied part of consumers’ lives. Nearly 65% said they drink more coffee than they did two years ago, while 48% said they would drink their usual coffee just as often even without caffeine. The findings suggest that coffee’s appeal now extends beyond an energy boost to taste, habit and experience.
Coffee becomes a daily habit
Nearly six in ten respondents drink coffee at least once a day, including 30.8% who have it more than once daily. Of the 64.8% drinking more coffee than two years ago, 35.1% said they drink much more and 29.7% a little more. When asked which coffee occasion would be hardest to give up if they had to cut their intake by half, 16.8% chose coffee while working or studying, followed by their first coffee of the day at 14.4% and evening coffee at 12.8%.
Respondents’ introduction to coffee varied: 18.2% grew up drinking it at home, 16.6% started during school or college, 13.6% initially sought energy or focus, and 14.3% became interested in its flavours and varieties.
Consumers explore new formats
Instant coffee remains the most widely consumed format at 62%. However, 55% also drink iced latte or cold coffee, 45% specialty or manual-brewed coffee, and 44% each drink cold brew, frappé or flavoured coffee, and South Indian filter coffee.
In the past year, 37.7% tried plant-based coffee for the first time, 37.6% tried cold brew and 37.5% tried bottled or canned ready-to-drink coffee. Coffee mocktails or other experimental formats were tried by 35.6%, while 32.5% tried protein or functional coffee. Interest continued beyond the first purchase for some: 26.4% of all respondents bought plant-based coffee again, 25.2% repurchased ready-to-drink coffee and 24.7% returned to cold brew.
Taste and ritual matter, alongside caffeine awareness
Nearly half of respondents would drink their usual coffee just as often without caffeine, and another 25% would drink it only a little less.
Caffeine and wellness remain considerations, however. In the past year, 14.7% said they tried to cut down on coffee and succeeded, 15.8% tried but returned to roughly their previous level, and 11.5% were still trying. Among those who wanted to reduce their intake, the leading reason was better sleep or avoiding caffeine later in the day (51.4%), followed by general health and wellness (42.5%), acidity or stomach discomfort (37.8%), and reducing sugar or calories (36%).
Siddhartha Nangia, Co-Founder, Smytten & PulseAI Research, said, “What struck me most about this PulseAI Research study is that the real story isn’t simply that Indians are drinking more coffee, but that their relationship with it is changing. Nearly two-thirds are consuming more than they did two years ago, yet almost half would drink it just as often even without caffeine. That points to something deeper – habit, comfort, taste, discovery and experience. For us, these are the signals that matter: not just what consumers choose, but the motivations and sentiments shaping those choices. India’s coffee culture is clearly becoming far more layered than just a caffeine fix.”
Cafés and coffee flavours add to the experience
Among respondents, 86.3% bought coffee from a café in the past 30 days. More than half, 58.2%, said they would visit their usual café less often if it became takeaway-only and lost its seating, Wi-Fi and ambience.
Coffee flavours are also finding a place beyond the cup. In the past year, 43.7% had hazelnut coffee, 40.9% coffee or espresso ice cream, 40.8% coffee-flavoured chocolate and 33.5% coffee-flavoured cake or pastry. Just 1.1% had none of the coffee-flavoured items listed in the survey.
The study also points to interest in premium coffee. When presented with a 250 ml coffee described as 100% Arabica Single-Origin Indian Estate Coffee, Small-Batch Roasted, 68.1% said they would be comfortable paying ₹150 or more.
Methodology
PulseAI Research’s study surveyed 1000 respondents across India on September 26, 2026. The respondent base included consumers across age groups, with 47% aged 18–24 and 34.8% aged 25–34. The study covered consumption, format preferences, experimentation, caffeine perceptions, café visits and willingness to pay.