Xin Ou
Research expert covering Greater China
Coffee market in China - statistics & facts
As a traditionally tea-drinking country, China has lagged behind the western countries and many neighboring regions in Asia in terms of coffee consumption. However, with rising popularity of coffee among its younger generations, the country has been catching up rapidly, reaching an average consumption of over 16 cups per capita in 2023—more than double the amount consumed five years earlier. Today, many experts view China as one of the most promising coffee markets.
As a result, the growing demand for coffee in the country is heavily reliant on imports. In 2023, Brazil was China’s largest coffee import partner in terms of import value, supplying more than 221 million U.S. dollars worth of coffee to China, followed by Ethiopia, Colombia, and Malaysia. During the crop year ending in September 2024, China imported approximately 3.2 million bags of green coffee beans, showing a significant growth compared to the previous year.
The boom of new coffee shops and the popularity of coffee delivery apps make coffee not only extremely accessible in urban China but also fashionable, especially among young professionals. Being traditionally a tea-drinking society, Chinese people are opening up to international influences, foreign brands, and new experiences, transforming the coffee market into a highly promising opportunity.
Coffee cultivation and trade in China
China is a relatively young country in terms of coffee cultivation. In the 19th century, French missionaries introduced coffee to Yunnan province (in south China), which became the country's largest coffee-growing region, accounting for 98 percent of the nation's coffee production. While its neighbor Vietnam ranked among the largest coffee producer worldwide, China produced less than two million 60-kilogram bags of coffee as of June of the coffee crop year 2023/24, contributing merely around one percent of the global coffee production.As a result, the growing demand for coffee in the country is heavily reliant on imports. In 2023, Brazil was China’s largest coffee import partner in terms of import value, supplying more than 221 million U.S. dollars worth of coffee to China, followed by Ethiopia, Colombia, and Malaysia. During the crop year ending in September 2024, China imported approximately 3.2 million bags of green coffee beans, showing a significant growth compared to the previous year.
China’s coffee consumption
Due to its low price and convenience, instant coffee has dominated the Chinese coffee market for decades. However, China’s freshly ground coffee market has witnessed strong growth as more and more consumers expand their knowledge, taste, and appreciation of a superior quality product. The number of cafés in China has been increasing at a blistering pace, with more than 80 percent of them operating independently. There has been an increase in the number of coffee chains entering China in the past few years, which are expected to expand in market share. By far, Luckin Coffee is the largest fresh-ground coffee seller in China, with more than 18,000 stores across the country.The boom of new coffee shops and the popularity of coffee delivery apps make coffee not only extremely accessible in urban China but also fashionable, especially among young professionals. Being traditionally a tea-drinking society, Chinese people are opening up to international influences, foreign brands, and new experiences, transforming the coffee market into a highly promising opportunity.
