There’s something quietly thrilling about watching a new coffee culture take root. Not the polished, mature kind you find in Italy or Seattle, but the raw, chaotic energy of a market waking up to the possibilities of what coffee can be. Think bustling café openings, young entrepreneurs testing bold flavors, and entire populations discovering specialty brews for the first time. That’s the story unfolding right now across several corners of the globe.
Coffee isn’t just a beverage in these places. It’s becoming a lifestyle, a status symbol, and a social glue all at once. While traditional coffee powerhouses continue their steady consumption, a handful of unexpected countries are experiencing explosive growth that’s reshaping the global coffee landscape. From Asia’s megacities to the Arabian Peninsula, coffee culture is surging in ways that would have seemed impossible just a decade ago.
China: The Sleeping Giant Finally Wakes Up
China’s coffee market is estimated at USD 4.24 billion in 2025 and is forecast to reach USD 5.64 billion by 2030, advancing at a 5.86% CAGR during the period, driven by sustained urbanization, higher disposable incomes, and shifting lifestyle preferences as consumers are pulled toward coffee as a modern alternative to traditional tea. Let’s be real, when you think about China, tea immediately comes to mind. Yet something remarkable is happening beneath the surface.
Nearly 12,000 new coffee shops have opened over the past year, bringing the total number of outlets to approximately 67,000 by the end of 2024, with growth extending beyond major metropolitan areas to include emerging “new first-tier” cities where younger and working-class consumers are driving demand for affordable and convenient coffee options. Walk down any street in Shanghai or Beijing today, and you’ll spot more cafés than you can count. Luckin Coffee, a homegrown chain, has become a household name, opening thousands of stores in just a few years.
Coffee imports surged by 32.5% year-on-year in 2024 according to the USDA, while government trade-in programs that subsidize coffee machines underscore policy-led demand creation. It’s hard to say for sure where this will lead, but the trajectory looks stunning. China’s coffee consumption has grown by an average annual growth rate of 21% since coffee year 2010/11, far outpacing the world’s 1.8% growth. The potential here is enormous when you consider the sheer size of the population.
India: Where Tea Drinkers Are Converting
India produces some of the world’s finest coffee, yet historically, the vast majority gets exported. Coffee consumption is estimated to have increased to 91,000 tonnes in 2023 from 84,000 tonnes in 2012. That might not sound earth-shattering, but look closer and you’ll see a cultural transformation underway.
The Indian branded coffee shop market added 600 stores over the last 12 months to reach 5,339 outlets, with Tata Starbucks leading at 480 stores, followed by Barista at 465 outlets and Café Coffee Day at 425 outlets, as espresso-based beverages and café culture rapidly gain ground in traditionally tea-drinking India. Major international chains like Tim Hortons and Coffee Island are betting big on India, announcing aggressive expansion plans. Tim Hortons has opened over 40 stores across multiple Indian cities by early 2025 since its 2022 entry.
Millennials and Gen Z comprise nearly 65% of India’s specialty coffee consumers according to the Coffee Board of India’s 2023 consumption survey, redefining the market with their evolving palates and increasing spending power. These younger consumers aren’t just drinking coffee – they’re studying it, exploring origins, demanding quality. Twenty-four percent of 4,000 Indian coffee shop consumers surveyed now visit coffee shops daily, with 57% doing so at least once a week. Coffee shops have become the new hangout spots, replacing traditional tea stalls for an aspirational generation.
South Korea: A Nation Running on Caffeine
South Korea’s relationship with coffee borders on obsession. South Korea ranks second in coffee consumption per capita with 367 cups per person, following France, which is more than twice the global average of 161 cups, and 70% of Korean adults have at least one cup of coffee daily. Walk through Gangnam and you’ll experience the surreal sight of multiple Starbucks outlets visible simultaneously, surrounded by countless other cafés.
In total, there were around 76.15 thousand coffee shops operating in South Korea. That’s roughly about one coffee shop for every 680 people. The number of coffee specialty shops per 1 million people in Korea is 1,384, which is more than double the 529 shops in Japan, ranking second. Honestly, it’s hard to wrap your head around those numbers.
The country now ranks among Asia’s top coffee-consuming nations, with average per capita consumption reaching over 405 cups annually, while the South Korea coffee market grew to USD 12.46 Billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 31.45 Billion by 2034, expanding at a CAGR of 9.70%. Coffee shops aren’t just businesses here – they’re social infrastructure. Since alcohol sales are common but café culture provides a unique space, many establishments stay open 24 hours, serving as late-night study halls, meeting spots, and creative workspaces. The Korean approach to coffee is meticulous, almost scientific, with professionally trained baristas treating their craft as an art form.
Saudi Arabia: Where Ancient Hospitality Meets Modern Cafés
Coffee holds profound cultural significance in Saudi Arabia, where traditional qahwa ceremonies have been practiced for centuries. Yet something electrifying is happening as ancient traditions merge with contemporary café culture. Saudi Arabia is the largest branded coffee shop market in the Middle East, reaching 5,130 outlets and accounting for 46% of all stores in the region according to Project Café Middle East 2025.
Saudi Arabia’s branded coffee shop industry increased in 2022 by 18.5%, expanding to 3,550 locations, while the country is in the top 10 most consumable coffee nations, with demand going above and beyond 80,000 tonnes yearly. The growth isn’t slowing down. Saudi Arabia recorded the highest average price per cup in the world at $5.50, with projected lifetime spending on coffee for an average Saudi consumer nearly $149,000, exceeding that of many European nations with higher cup counts. This indicates a market prioritizing quality and experience over sheer quantity.
More than 60% of the population is under 30, and they are seeking venues that blend functionality with atmosphere for socializing, studying, and working. Drive-thru coffee shops are exploding in popularity, perfectly suited to the car-centric Saudi lifestyle. The government named 2022 the year of Saudi coffee, while Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund launched Saudi Coffee Company in May 2022, investing $319 million over the next ten years to support the growth of the national coffee industry from production to consumption. The kingdom is throwing everything it can at developing a comprehensive coffee ecosystem, from cultivation to consumption.
Vietnam: From Producer to Consumer Powerhouse
Vietnam has long been recognized as the world’s second-largest coffee producer, particularly of Robusta beans. Most of that production has historically been exported. That narrative is rapidly changing. Domestic coffee culture anchored by drinks like cà phê sữa đá (iced coffee with condensed milk) is thriving, especially among the urban middle class, with USDA projections showing Vietnam’s domestic coffee consumption rising from 4 million bags in 2024/25 to 4.9 million in 2025/26.
Vietnamese coffee culture possesses a distinct character. The traditional drip method produces intensely flavored coffee that locals mix with sweetened condensed milk, creating a beverage perfectly suited to the tropical climate. Specialty cafés are now popping up alongside traditional street vendors, offering everything from classic Vietnamese brews to third-wave specialty coffee.
Vietnam is forecast to produce 31.0 million bags in 2025/26, up 2 million bags from the previous year, with the country’s nearly unchanged harvest area reflecting increasing efficiency and yield optimization rather than expansion. The growing domestic market adds resilience to Vietnam’s coffee economy, allowing the country to capture more value through domestic roasting, packaging, and retail rather than simply exporting raw beans. It’s a smart evolution that’s creating a vibrant café scene in cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Indonesia: Island Cafés and Specialty Ambitions
Indonesia produces exceptional coffee, from the volcanic slopes of Java to the highlands of Sumatra. Indonesia is projected to produce 11.3 million bags, supported by favorable weather in Robusta-growing regions of Southern Sumatra and Java, with Robusta accounting for approximately 9.8 million bags while Arabica production is expected to rise slightly to 1.5 million bags. Like Vietnam, Indonesia is witnessing its own coffee renaissance as domestic consumption surges.
Jakarta’s café scene has exploded over the past few years. Sleek specialty coffee shops serving single-origin Indonesian beans now compete with traditional warungs selling kopi tubruk. Countries like Indonesia, India, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam are notable as both consumers and producers of coffee. The Indonesian market benefits from a unique advantage: access to world-class beans grown domestically, combined with a young, urban population eager to explore coffee beyond instant varieties.
Exports are forecast to grow to 6.5 million bags, thanks to ample supply and rising international interest in Indonesian beans. Indonesian specialty roasters are gaining international recognition, with unique processing methods and indigenous varieties attracting attention from coffee enthusiasts worldwide. The domestic market is maturing rapidly, with consumers developing sophisticated palates and willingness to pay premium prices for quality. It’s an exciting time to watch Indonesia’s coffee culture evolve from producer giant to consumer market.
