The study of specialty coffee consumption in Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

Specialty coffee appeared in the coffee industry in the 20th century with an emerging culture of developing a better appreciation of coffee through quality beans and improved brewing methods. It is a constantly growing market for business owners as well as a rising trend for consumers worldwide, including Thailand. For the past decade, we can see new coffee shops popping up on almost every corner of the street with new innovative coffee offerings; nevertheless, an increase in competition in the industry has also proven a demand. This study, therefore, identifies the specialty coffee consumption behavior in Bangkok, Thailand and factors leading to customer satisfaction and customer loyalty that influence willingness to pay for a cup of specialty coffee despite higher prices than commercial coffee in the mass market. A survey design method was used with quantitative data gathered using online questionnaires from a random sampling of specialty coffee consumers in Thailand and analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics.