T. Ozbun
Research expert covering food retail and all food topics for Italy and Brazil
Coffee market in Italy- Statistics & Facts
Italians’ love for coffee is well-known and evidenced. The country has a long-standing tradition of producing and enjoying espresso-based beverages, with nearly three out of four Italians being regular or avid coffee drinkers. Prepared by roasting coffee beans from the Coffea plant, the beverage comes in several varieties, the two most common being Arabica and Robusta. Although Italy is not a coffee-growing country, a wide variety of coffee types are served, with Espresso being the king of them all. In fact, coffee was the second most consumed beverage in the country after bottled water, with 78 percent of Italians choosing it.
Classic roasted coffee was the most popular type of coffee sold at retail in Italy, followed by the moka type. The most important channel for coffee sales was supermarkets, far outpacing the next two channels, discounters and hypermarkets. Retail sales volume of roasted coffee has remained fairly constant in recent years, reaching a total of 166 million kilograms in 2022, with sales occurring mainly through large-scale retail. Pods and capsules were popular with Italians and were a growing market; the leading companies in this sector were Lavazza, Nestlé, and Illy. The same companies were also leaders in the Ho.Re.Ca sector (hotels, restaurants, and cafes).
Industry landscape
In 2023, Italy witnessed substantial imports of green coffee beans, with Brazil emerging as the top contributor in terms of value. The volume of coffee imported was nearly double the volume exported, however, due to in-country processing, the value of exports exceeded that of imports. The majority of Italian coffee found its way to destination countries in Europe, with Germany leading the list.Classic roasted coffee was the most popular type of coffee sold at retail in Italy, followed by the moka type. The most important channel for coffee sales was supermarkets, far outpacing the next two channels, discounters and hypermarkets. Retail sales volume of roasted coffee has remained fairly constant in recent years, reaching a total of 166 million kilograms in 2022, with sales occurring mainly through large-scale retail. Pods and capsules were popular with Italians and were a growing market; the leading companies in this sector were Lavazza, Nestlé, and Illy. The same companies were also leaders in the Ho.Re.Ca sector (hotels, restaurants, and cafes).
Consumer landscape
Per capita consumption of roasted coffee in Italy has remained fairly stable and is expected to reach 4.8 kilograms by 2028. Espresso, the most commonly consumed type of coffee by Italians, is not only a staple, but part of the country's culture and history. Usually consumed at home or in a coffee shop/café in the morning, it is a quick and popular way for Italians to get their morning caffeine fix. However, while it used to be easy to find cups of espresso for one euro or less in many Italian cities, lately, thanks in part to inflation, barely any were to be found at that price, and there were cities like Bolzano and Trento, where the average had surpassed 1.3 euros per cup.
