The largest Slovak coffee survey. Independent data, surprising results, no marketing clichés.
At the end of April 2026, we launched a survey on the coffee habits of Slovaks. We wanted to know what we really drink, where we buy it, and what decides our choice. Almost five thousand people answered.
Some results confirmed what we suspected. Others surprised us. Here are the most interesting ones.
Two cups a day is clearly the most popular answer. Most people have their first coffee in the morning and the second sometime in the afternoon — evening coffee is an exception, not the rule. A home espresso machine has long ceased to be a luxury: more than half of the households that participated in the survey have one.
Coffee is primarily a personal ritual for us. Only a small minority drinks it exclusively socially — most people have a cup depending on their mood, both alone and in company.
This was one of the most surprising results of the entire survey. When we asked why people drink coffee, the vast majority indicated taste — energy finished only in third place, behind the daily ritual and habit. The Slovak coffee drinker is therefore not so much a caffeine addict, but rather a person with a refined taste.
Almost 9 out of 10 Slovaks drink coffee for the taste. Energy is only in third place. The Slovak coffee drinker is not an addict. They are a gourmet.
It is also interesting what people do not cite as a primary reason — availability and habit play a role, but coffee clearly also has a strong social function. Almost a third of respondents confirmed that they drink it when meeting with people.
We asked about the preferred flavor profile on a scale from 1 (sour, fruity) to 10 (bitter, roasted). The most frequent answer was exactly in the middle — balance clearly wins. Extreme positions on the scale remain marginal.
Behind this average, however, hides an interesting age pattern: younger people reach for sour and fruity coffee, while older people prefer a darker roast. It is not just a fashion fad — statistically, it is one of the most robust patterns of the entire survey. Generation determines the palette.
Equally telling is the correlation with the preparation method: whoever makes filter or V60 at home statistically drinks a completely different type of coffee than someone who pours water over instant coffee. The preparation method reveals more about coffee taste than anything else.
The supermarket remains the most common place of purchase, but the online channel is growing significantly — almost a third of respondents buy through it. More educated buyers shop online significantly more often than others, which indicates where the taste of future customers is being formed.
A surprising finding: medium-sized cities have a higher share of purchases directly in roasteries than the largest Slovak cities. Specialty coffee is clearly not just a big-city phenomenon — it has a strong background in the regions too.
Where someone buys coffee says more about their taste than any other question. A cafe customer and a supermarket customer live in different coffee worlds.
In the survey, we tracked two different things: whether people know a brand, and whether they consider it their favorite. The results are interesting — the most well-known brands on the market are by no means the most popular ones. Awareness and loyalty often go in different directions.
The generational difference is significant: younger Slovaks (under 35) have a significantly closer relationship with Slovak roasteries than older generations, where established European brands continue to dominate. This generational line is one of the clearest signals of the entire survey.
Satisfaction with coffee at work divided the respondents into two almost equally large groups — those who are satisfied and those who are not. The middle is empty. People are clear about it.
People who are completely dissatisfied with coffee at work believe even more strongly than the satisfied ones that better coffee would change their workday for the better. The worse the coffee, the greater the belief in its potential. Employers, take this seriously.
The data revealed four distinct groups of coffee drinkers, differing in what they drink, where they buy, and how much they are willing to pay.
Under 35 years old · sour, fruity coffee · buys online or at a roastery · arabica · willing to pay extra for quality.
Three or more cups a day · vending machine at work and at home · perceives coffee as a necessity of the workday. The largest segment.
Buys in a supermarket · price is important · bitter, dark coffee · would like something better, but hasn't taken the step yet.
Usually older generations · dark roast · proven European brands · loyal to habit, not looking for a change.
An interesting cross-section across all groups: almost a third of all respondents want to drink better coffee, but haven't found a reason to make a change yet. The barrier is usually not ignorance — it is a missing impulse.
When we asked what is most important when buying coffee, quality and flavor profile finished in the first two places with a large lead. Price is indeed third, but the data shows that it's not about cheapness — it's about the perception of value.
We also found something counterintuitive: people who buy based on price and those who buy based on the origin of the roastery form two completely different groups — they hardly overlap. They are different worlds with different selection logic.
Almost five thousand answers painted a clear picture: Slovaks understand coffee, care about taste, and are increasingly willing to pay for quality — if they have a good reason to do so. Coffee has stopped being just a morning ritual and has become a matter of taste.
The strongest signal of the entire survey is not in the numbers, but in the attitude: people know what they want, they just sometimes haven't found the way to it yet. And that is a challenge for everyone who makes good coffee.
The survey took place in April 2026, participation was anonymous and voluntary. Statistical analysis included standard methods including Chi-square tests, non-parametric ANOVA, and correlation analysis.
