HAMBURG, Germany – Coffee consumption in Germany has once again reached pre-pandemic levels after experiencing an unusual surge during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past year, per capita coffee consumption was approximately 163 liters. Three key trends are emerging in the coffee market in 2024: a rising demand for instant coffee, whole beans, and sustainably certified products.
According to the German Coffee Association (Deutscher Kaffeeverband) based in Hamburg, the whole bean segment grew by nearly two percent, continuing the positive trend of recent years. Whole beans are particularly popular in fully automatic coffee machines and traditional espresso machines.
Instant coffee and mixtures show growth
“An interesting development is the often-overlooked growth in the instant coffee segment,” explains Holger Preibisch, CEO of the German Coffee Association. “While traditional instant coffee grew by about two percent, a strongly demanded segment has emerged in recent years: so-called mixtures. These are single-serve portions of instant coffee, often pre-mixed with sugar and milk powder. These products saw a six percent increase in sales in 2024 and have doubled in volume over the past decade.”
Growth trend in sustainably certified products
Sustainably certified coffee is also experiencing strong growth. This includes coffee with organic certifications as well as Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and 4C labels. This segment saw an 8.6 percent increase. “Around one in five coffee packages now carries a sustainability label,” says Preibisch.
Out-of-home market and to-go sales continue to rise
The out-of-home coffee market continues to grow slightly. Holger Preibisch explains, “The pandemic is now firmly behind us. About one percent more coffee was consumed to-go, at workplaces, and in the hospitality sector.”
“The latest figures show that coffee addresses various trends: taste, convenience, and sustainability,” says Preibisch.
About the German Coffee Association
For more than 50 years, the German Coffee Association e.V. has been the interest group for companies and organizations that trade, process, or otherwise do business with coffee in Germany.
It represents around 380 companies along the entire coffee value chain – including sustainability organizations, coffee traders and brokers, coffee roasters, manufacturers of instant coffee, decaffeinators, coffee and roasting machine manufacturers, logisticians, and laboratories. In 2014, 2018, and 2024, the German Coffee Association was awarded “Association of the Year” by the German Society for Association Management e.V. (DGVM).
About Coffee in Germany
- Germans drink an average of 163 liters per capita per year (as of 2024).
- After the USA, Germany is the largest importer of raw coffee in the world.
- Germany is the world champion in the export of coffee products.
