China’s coffee imports: strong market growth momentum

China’s coffee imports: strong market growth momentum

With the rapid development of China's economy and the improvement of people's living standards, coffee consumption in the Chinese market has shown a strong growth momentum. More and more Chinese consumers have begun to accept and love this drink from Western countries. As one of the world's largest coffee producers, China has also begun to become a force that cannot be ignored in the global coffee import market.

1. Market demand drives import growth

In recent years, with the acceleration of urbanization and the increasing demand of the younger generation for fashionable and healthy drinks, the demand for high-quality and special coffee products in mainland China has continued to rise. This market demand has driven the continuous growth of coffee imports.

According to customs data, China's average annual net imports of coffee beans and their products have been rising by more than 20% over the past decade. In 2019, the country's total net imports were about 230,000 tons (including green beans, roasted beans and finished products), an increase of more than 10% year-on-year.

2. Competition among imported coffee brands is fierce

As the demand for imported coffee in the Chinese market continues to grow, major international coffee brands have entered the Chinese market to compete for market share. Well-known brands such as Starbucks, Nestle and Blue Mountain are actively expanding their sales networks in China.

At the same time, some local companies have also begun to get involved in the field of imported coffee. They meet consumers' demand for diversified and high-quality products by cooperating with foreign suppliers or purchasing directly from abroad.

3. Market potential is still huge

Although the Chinese coffee market has achieved rapid growth, there is still a large gap compared with developed countries. According to statistics, in 2019, the average per capita consumption in the world was about 1.5 kilograms, while the per capita consumption in China was only about 0.15 kilograms.

This means that there is still a lot of potential for the Chinese coffee market to tap in the next few years. As more people begin to get in touch with and love this drink and are willing to pay a higher price for high-quality coffee, the imported coffee market will continue to maintain strong growth.

4. Challenges and opportunities coexist

Although the Chinese coffee import market has broad prospects, it also faces some challenges. The first is fierce competition, with major international brands and local companies vying for market share. The second is that consumers have increasingly high requirements for product quality and safety, requiring suppliers to provide products that meet standards.

However, these challenges also bring opportunities. Import coffee suppliers can gain more opportunities in the Chinese market by continuously improving product quality, enhancing service levels, and establishing partnerships with domestic companies.

5. Develop sustainable and local industries

As China's awareness of environmental protection and sustainable development increases, some new trends have emerged in the coffee industry. More and more Chinese companies have begun to invest in planting, processing and selling high-quality coffee beans from local production areas.

At the same time, there are some new trends in imports. Some imported coffee suppliers have begun to pay attention to product traceability and environmental friendliness, and promote sustainable development by cooperating with local Chinese companies.

in conclusion

China's coffee import market is showing a strong growth trend. Market demand has driven the import volume to continue to rise, and major international brands and local companies are vying for market share. Despite some challenges, the Chinese coffee market still has huge potential to be tapped.

In the next few years, the imported coffee market will continue to grow strongly as more people accept and love this drink and are willing to pay a higher price for high-quality coffee. At the same time, it is also an important direction to focus on sustainability and local industry in the development process.