Gen Z Feels Entertainment Experience at Cafes!? Z-SOZOKEN Reveals Different Reasons for Support for #1 Starbucks (43%) and #2 Komeda's Coffee (22%) in its 11th Insight Summary.

Fiom LLC (HQ: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Partner: Yohei Takeshita), a creative company for Gen Z, through its think tank 'Z-SOZOKEN (Gen Z Creativity Research Institute)' which analyzes the realities and values of Gen Z members themselves, has independently released its eleventh insight summary. This summary deeply examines trends in the cafe sector, based on the latest survey report of the 'Brand Ranking with the Most Improved Image among Gen Z,' conducted with 300 Gen Z individuals (ages 18-24) nationwide across 19 categories including food, cosmetics, apparel, and entertainment.

In recent years, the role of cafes has significantly expanded from merely a place to drink coffee to a base for studying and working, or a spot for shooting content to post on social media.

Amidst this, marketing managers in the food and beverage industry are daily racking their brains on 'how to make Gen Z choose our brand as a 'place worth visiting' among countless cafe chains.'

However, promotions that merely advertise 'Instagrammable sweets' on the surface or appeal to 'comfort' with commonplace words are often seen through by the information-literate Gen Z, who value 'essential experiential value.' Such approaches often fail to foster deep brand loyalty or continuous patronage.

Based on this background, the Gen Z-focused research institute 'Z-SOZOKEN' has picked up the 'cafe sector,' which has become a third place for Gen Z, from the comprehensive ranking results of all 19 categories.

From an era of 'as long as the coffee is good,' we analyze and present from a novel and original perspective the reality that what modern Gen Z seeks in cafe brands has clearly polarized and evolved into 'a corporate stance they can empathize with and a sense of eventfulness' and 'an entertainment quality they want to talk about on social media,' along with their deep-seated psychology.

Deciphering Unique Insights from 'Gen Z's Cafe Brand Evaluation'

From the cafe sector of this survey, it has become clear that Gen Z finds completely different values in each brand: 'enthusiastic event consumption' and 'an entertainment experience that betrays expectations.'

- 'Starbucks', which creates enthusiasm for sustainability and new products, takes a confident first place (image improved: 43%)

The brand with the most improved image was Starbucks. In addition to the 'must-participate event feel' brought by its limited-time new Frappuccinos, its environmental considerations such as promoting personal tumblers deeply resonated with their values, securing an overwhelming top spot.

- 'Komeda's Coffee', which mass-produces buzz with 'reverse photo fraud', follows in second place (image improved: 22%)

Komeda's Coffee ranked second. The delightful betrayal of 'the actual product being overwhelmingly larger than the menu photo' has become a meme on social media, gathering enthusiastic support as an entertainment space beyond just a restaurant.

- 'Tully's Coffee', which enhances time performance in an adult space, ranks third (image improved: 19%)