Import value of coffee and substitutes Australia 2013-2023

In 2023, Australia imported coffee and coffee substitutes to the value of almost 1.2 billion Australian dollars. Over the past decade, coffee imports to Australia more than doubled from around 580 million Australian dollars’ worth of coffee imports in 2013. 

Coffee consumption

Over the years, coffee has become a nationwide obsession that is now part of Australia’s cultural identity. Brands such as Nestlé (Nescafé and Nespresso), Vittoria, and Lavazza, as well as ALDI-own-brand coffee, are some of the most popular brands for coffee beans, instant coffee, and capsules among coffee drinkers in Australia. In 2023, annual domestic coffee consumption totaled almost two million 60-kilogram bags, steadily increasing since 2021. Cappuccinos, lattes, and flat whites are the top three favorite coffee drinks among consumers in Australia, with cappuccinos the number one coffee across most Australian states. The leading reasons consumers drink coffee are for the taste and to wake up. Nonetheless, some Australians report consuming coffee to relax and unwind.

Cafés: another casualty of inflation?

The pandemic has changed consumer behavior in many ways across Australia, with coffee consumption no exception to this rule. From Sunday brunch to afternoon coffee dates, buying coffee at cafés is popular among Australians. When choosing which coffee shop to visit, the quality of coffee as well as affordability, are considered the most important coffee shop attributes among the country’s coffee drinkers. Nonetheless, cost of living pressures have led consumers to rethink their budgets, with many swapping takeout coffees for homemade brews created with their own machines. In the coming years, as the pool of café regulars shrinks due to rising coffee drink prices, coffee shops across the country could suffer as discretionary spending continues to fall.