Once the primary domain of the tech sector, the in-house coffee bar is going mainstream in offices around the world.
Following the lead of companies like Yelp, Twitter and Google, a growing number of companies from professional services firms like JLL to cybersecurity companies like Legitscript and health insurance group Medicare have their own, full-scale cafes with baristas serving gourmet lattes and cold-brewed coffee to their employees.
With 75 percent of full-time employees drinking coffee at work, according to a 2015 report from Packaged Facts, demand is high. In most cases, companies partner with existing coffee brands; LinkedIn for example, has brought Equator into its San Francisco offices to not only offer coffee but also become part of its Foodies program giving employees the chance to take latte art workshops or coffee cocktail classes.
“America, like many other countries, has a strong coffee culture where people have very firm opinions about how they like their coffee,” says DeJeana Chappell, Senior Associate on JLL’s Workplace Strategy Team. “Typical office coffee stations serving generic drinks with limited options to customize have lost their appeal for many employees.”