The holidays and the gift-giving are now over, leaving new owners of household appliances in their path. And if you are a coffee aficionado, you may have let yourself be seduced by a bean machine, or “automatic espresso”.
Coffee “like at the bar” has enjoyed growing success in recent years, without dethroning its competitor, the capsule machine. Whether or not you are one of the 7 out of 10 * French people who regularly consume coffee, 20 Minutes explains everything to you.
Increasing sales figures
The figures alone bear witness to the boom in bean coffee machines. “The market is booming and has more than doubled since 2018”, according to Emilie Pin, Head of Studies and Statistics of the Interprofessional Group of Manufacturers of Appliances and Household Equipment (Gifam). According to the German research institute GFK, the turnover of sales in value of coffee bean machines in France, all networks combined, increased by 24% in 2018, 70% in 2019, 56% in 2020 and 70% in 2021 **.
Sales in 2020, a year marked by confinements, were therefore only slightly disturbed. “These machines started to gain momentum before the Covid-19, so there was no frustration effect during the pandemic.” In terms of volume, 360,000 units were sold between January and September 2021. “Today, 5% of French people, or 1.5 million, have a machine with an integrated crusher,” explains Emilie Pin. However, sales of pod or capsule machines are not falling, on the contrary: “53% of homes are equipped”, she adds.
“Coffee has become a passionate domain, bordering on oenology”
The success of the bean is not surprising when we consider that 9 out of 10 households are equipped with coffee machines *. And if the interest in automatic technology is at the rendezvous, it is thanks to several factors. “It’s a passionate field, bordering on oenology,” says Vincent Decaris, beverage and breakfast product manager at Darty. Consumers can choose their own coffee beans, decide on fine or thick grinding, and choose their favorite recipe. “The trend for professionals at home, such as kitchen machines, is very popular,” observes Emilie Pin. Different colors, two motors to prepare two coffees at the same time, connectivity to launch coffee remotely or prevent breakdowns… A wide choice of models is available to consumers.
The eco-responsible aspect, with the absence of capsules, also plays a role. “We see that consumers often buy their coffee from the roaster in the area,” says the manager. A trend in bulk and local commerce that fits “with the fact of being more respectful of the environment”, according to Laurent Cours, Director of Studies and Statistics of Gifam. But concerning the components of the capsules, Vincent Decaris qualifies, by evoking “a new way of encapsulating” with “compostable fabrics”. This is particularly the case with the biodegradable San Marco capsules or the Malongo natural fiber pods.
“A virtuous purchase”
There remains the question of price. A high-end product, a mulching machine means spending a certain amount. “We start at 299 euros and end at 5,000 euros”, according to Vincent Decaris. A cost which would however be amortized by the price, “approximately divided by 2”, of the coffee cup, he adds. A “virtuous” purchase, according to Emilie Pin.
The profile of the purchaser of these machines remains fairly stable. Either a population in the 35-54 age group, more rural than urban, and CSP +, reports Cifam. In addition, “they very often live in houses, because this type of machine requires space”. A well-chosen place in the kitchen by users who use this “pleasure purchase” as “object of social positioning”, notes the manager. Which presages “good days for the automatic market”.
* According to a YouGov study published on December 14, 2021
** For 2021, data stops at the end of September
