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 overwhelming majority chose taste — energy came in third, behind the daily ritual and habit. The Slovak coffee lover is therefore not so much a caffeine addict as someone with a refined palate.
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It is also interesting what people do not cite as a primary reason — availability and habit play a role, but coffee clearly also has a strong social function.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 (acidic, fruity) to 10 (bitter, dark roast). The most common answer was right in the middle — balance is the clear winner. The extreme ends of the scale remain marginal.
Behind this average, however, lies an interesting age-related pattern: younger people reach for acidic and fruity coffee, while older generations prefer darker roasts. This isn't just a fleeting trend — statistically, it's one of the most robust patterns in the entire survey. Generation defines the palate.
Equally revealing is the connection to the brewing method: those who make filter or V60 at home drink a statistically completely different type of coffee than those who brew instant coffee. The brewing method reveals more about coffee preferences than anything else.
The supermarket remains the most common place of purchase, but the online channel is growing significantly — nearly a third of respondents buy through it. More educated buyers shop online significantly more often than others, hinting at where the tastes of future customers are formed.
A surprising finding: medium-sized cities have a higher share of purchases directly from roasteries than the largest Slovak cities. Specialty coffee is clearly not just a big-city phenomenon — it has a strong base in the regions as well.
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 distinct things: whether people know a brand, and whether they consider it their favorite. The results are fascinating — the most famous brands on the market are far from being the most popular. Awareness and loyalty often point in different directions.
The generational divide is striking: younger Slovaks (under 35) have a significantly closer relationship with Slovak roasteries than older cohorts, 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.
There is an interesting cross-section across all groups: nearly a third of all respondents want to drink better coffee, but haven't yet found a reason to make the switch. The barrier is usually not lack of knowledge — it's the missing spark.
When we asked what matters most when buying coffee, quality and flavor profile took the top two spots by a wide margin. Price may be third, but the data shows it's not about being cheap — it's about the perception of value.
We also discovered something counterintuitive: people who buy based on price and those who buy based on the roastery's origin form two completely distinct groups — they barely overlap. They are different worlds with different purchasing 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 isn't in the numbers, but in the attitude: people know what they want, they just haven't always found the way to it yet. And that is a challenge for anyone who crafts 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.
