The rise and rise of coffee in Russia
Once upon a time, Russians were famous for their capacity and enthusiasm for vodka-drinking. In the bitter cold of their winters, no doubt the fire of the alcohol went a long way to warm them. Beer too has also been a traditional favourite in the country. However, there is a new ‘Russian drink’ story in the news: the Public Ledger has reported that the up and coming generation of Russians prefer coffee as their regular tipple.
What has changed? According to reports, there is a rise of more than 10% in coffee consumption over the past few years. Published predictions suggest that this is not the end of the rise of the coffee culture either – perhaps the drink could double in consumption in the next 3 years too!
However, Russia is still not as enthusiastic a coffee-drinking nation as many other countries around the globe. Compared to the US and other caffeine-addict nations, the figures are still modest – only around 1.5kg per person, although this is expected to change in the coming years. It seems that the younger generation is rejecting the older cultural proclivity for alcohol consumption and sees the coffee culture as progressive and attractive. According to one source, they see coffee-drinking as a ‘symbol of enthusiasm, freedom and democracy’. Certainly in Western Europe, the coffee culture is strong – coffee shops often act as a meeting point, place for social interaction and out-of-office meetings.
The association with drinking beer and vodka is seen as being regressive and a symptom of a difficult period in Russia’s history.