Since the coffee shop brands took off in the 1990s people have embraced their caffeinated delights. Once a nation of tea drinkers, people have fallen for the super-sized cups, adopted the language of lattes and are even prepared to pay upwards of £2.20 for a caffeine hit. Not even the recession quenched our desire for coffee and now millions are hooked, spending up to £2,000 a year and pouring cash into the coffers of the coffee shop brands.

This sets out to discover how the nation became so obsessed, and how the brands do battle for our custom. With behind-the-scenes access to staff on the frontline and the bosses of the big brands, this is the inside story of the coffee shop world.

First in a four-part series on businesses that have boomed despite tough economic times. Show less