We’re a nation of flat white lovers but recent data reveals a shift in New Zealander’s coffee preferences, with increasing numbers opting for alternatives.
Bustle, a Kiwi tech company providing point-of-sale (POS) and café management solutions to thousands of hospitality venues, has revealed new insights into the nation’s favourite coffee orders. Although the flat white remains the top choice, the popularity of iced drinks and alternatives like matcha, has grown significantly.
In the first half of 2024, Bustle recorded a 102% increase in iced latte orders through its platform, compared to the same period in 2021. For outlets that serve iced lattes, an average of 168 were ordered per month in 2024, up from 83 per month in 2021.
Matcha orders also surged by 84% over the same period, as Kiwis embraced this global trend for its health benefits and unique flavour. Iced americanos and iced chai’s also rose in popularity, with orders increasing by more than 50 percent.
Matcha Choice
“Kiwis are becoming more adventurous with their coffee and drink choices. Iced lattes are no longer just a summer treat—they’ve become a year-round favourite,” says Bustle founder, Jonny McKenzie.
“It’s exciting to see global trends like matcha gaining momentum in New Zealand. We expect to see further growth in alternative drinks such as turmeric lattes, oat milk options, and adaptogenic beverages like ashwagandha-infused lattes. These trends offer great opportunities for hospitality businesses to stand out and attract more customers, especially in these challenging times,” says McKenzie.
Despite the rise in iced and alternative beverages, the ever-popular flat white still accounts for nearly half of all coffee sales on Bustle’s platform. In the first half of 2024, a monthly average of 1,155 flat whites were ordered per hospitality outlet, with cafés specifically recording much higher numbers. In the top five, in order after flat whites, are lattes, cappuccinos, long blacks, and mochas, with iced lattes ranking just outside the top five in sixth place.
Tomás Marin from Ponsonby Central’s Blackbird Espresso Bar, a Bustle customer, says: “We’ve noticed increasing demand for iced drinks, matcha, and dairy-free alternatives. We’ve adapted our menu to keep up with our customers’ evolving tastes.”
Competitive Pricing
However, Aotearoa’s hospitality industry continues to face headwinds with the state of the broader economy and industry specific challenges including global increases in the price of coffee. Bustle data shows the average price of a flat white increased by 16% between 2021 and 2024, rising from $5 in 2021 to $5.80 in 2024. Additionally, flat white sales dropped by 12% in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
“While the cost of a cup of coffee has increased, the hospitality sector, like most other industries in New Zealand, is being faced with soaring costs including the price of milk and coffee beans, and other factors such as weather events, and rising production and operating costs,” says McKenzie. “Despite this, the price of coffee has not kept pace with inflation rates in New Zealand, with many cafés working hard tokeep prices as low and competitive as possible for customers.”
Key Statistics from Bustle’s Data:
- Iced latte orders increased by 102% from 2021 to 2024.
- Matcha orders increased by 84% from 2021 to 2024.
- Iced americano and iced chai orders rose by more than 50% from 2021 to 2024.
- Flat white sales dropped by 12% in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
- The average price of a flat white increased by 16%, from $5 in 2021 to $5.80 in 2024.
What is Bustle?
Bustle was founded 10 years ago in a Wellington coffee shop and cocktail bar by Jonny McKenzie, who struggled to find a POS system that suited his independent business needs. Today, Bustle serves customers across New Zealand, the Pacific, Australia, and the UK, offering cloud-based POS solutions and online ordering platforms to help hospitality businesses thrive. In New Zealand alone, over $1 billion in transactions flow through its platform annually.
