As we step into a new year, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what 2025 taught us about specialty coffee in the UK — and what’s shaping the future of how we brew, buy, and enjoy coffee.

At Acorns Coffee, we roast small-batch, award-winning coffee in Hampshire, and this year has reminded us that great coffee is about far more than caffeine. It’s about quality, provenance, flavour, and community.

So grab your favourite brew and join us for our 2025 coffee review — plus a look at the UK coffee trends for 2026.

Award-Winning Specialty Coffee in 2025

One of the highlights of our year was receiving recognition at the Great Taste Awards 2024 and 2025 — a huge milestone for our independent roastery.

These awards celebrate:

• Thoughtfully sourced coffee beans
• Careful small-batch roasting
• Flavour-led profiles rather than mass production

For our customers, it means confidence that every bag of Acorns Coffee delivers exceptional quality and taste.

👉 Monsooned Malabar won 2 Stars!

👉 Brazil Santos, used in a cafe, won a star too!

UK Coffee Trends We Saw in 2025

Across the UK, coffee drinkers became more curious and more informed in 2025.

Some of the biggest specialty coffee trends we noticed:

• Increased demand for single-origin coffee
• Customers wanting to know where their coffee comes from
• A move away from commodity blends toward artisan, small-batch roasting
• Home brewers investing in better equipment and fresher beans

In short, people weren’t just drinking coffee — they were experiencing it.

Best-Selling Coffees at Acorns in 2025

These were some of the coffees our customers returned to again and again:

Brazil Santos

Smooth, chocolatey, and easy-drinking — ideal for espresso and everyday brewing.

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Coffee

Bright, floral, and complex, with citrus and delicate sweetness.

Colombia Finca Sofia

Balanced and velvety, very smooth with flavours of milk chocolate and banoffee when taken with milk.

What 2025 Taught Us About Coffee Prices

One unavoidable topic in 2025 was rising coffee prices.

Global supply pressures, climate challenges, and increased demand have all contributed. As specialty roasters, we’ve continued to prioritise:

• Fair pricing for farmers
• Ethical sourcing
• Consistent quality

Good coffee costs more because it reflects real work at every stage — from farm to cup.

👉 Find out more in my blog about coffee pricing!

UK Coffee Trends to Watch in 2026

Looking ahead, here’s what we expect to shape specialty coffee in 2026:

• Greater focus on sustainable and traceable sourcing
• Growing interest in lighter roasts and flavour clarity
• More confidence from drinkers to choose coffee based on taste, not trends
• Continued growth of independent UK roasters over large chains

For Acorns Coffee, 2026 is about refining what we already do well — while continuing to explore new origins and limited releases.

Why Choose an Independent UK Coffee Roaster?

Supporting an independent roastery like Acorns Coffee means:

• Fresher coffee roasted in small batches
• Transparent sourcing
• A direct connection to the people behind your brew

Whether you’re buying beans online or visiting us in person, we believe coffee should be personal, honest, and enjoyable.

Thank You for Supporting Acorns Coffee

If you’ve brewed Acorns Coffee at home, visited our café, or supported us online — thank you. Independent coffee businesses thrive because customers choose quality over convenience.

If your goal for 2026 is to drink better coffee, we’d love to help.

👉 Explore our latest coffees

👉 Try a new single-origin

👉 Or pop in for a chat and a cup

Here’s to another great year of coffee.