The growing demand for high-quality food and drink is seeing Generation Z opting for careers in the sector, according to new research by Whitbread-owned Costa Coffee.
The findings showed almost half (42%) of Brits now identify themselves as “foodies”, heralding a potential boom for the hospitality industry.
It also revealed about two-thirds (63%) of Brits believe people in the UK are more concerned with handcrafted food and drink than a decade ago.
At the same time, the labour force is turning towards foodie jobs as more than half (56%) of 16 to 24-year-olds believed learning a food and drink-based trade would boost their career opportunities, compared with only 37% of over-55s.
The research showed Brits are also twice as likely to believe hospitality offers good career progression compared with a job in politics (34% versus 17%). As demand for high-quality food increases so does Brits’ appreciation of the skill that goes into crafting it.
More than half (54%) believed it is difficult to make a great cup of coffee and 52% said they chose a particular coffee shop because of the skills of its baristas.
The research revealed 16 to 24-year-olds are the choosiest coffee connoisseurs, with 60% claiming the skills of a company’s baristas was key to deciding where they went.
Costa Coffee group HR director Kate Seljeflot said: “It is clear the hospitality industry is not only booming but it’s got the attention of a nation of foodies. Brits are coffee lovers and Costa baristas are consistently working to deliver the best coffee experiences for customers. Costa baristas undergo world-class training and pour passion, pride and skill into every cup. We’re always on the lookout for enthusiastic people who are passionate about coffee, keen to learn a useful trade, and enter a flourishing industry.”
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