What is the demand for coffee on the European market?

Europe is the largest market for green coffee in the world. Within Europe, Germany makes up most of the demand, followed by Italy, Spain and Belgium. Alongside high-volume commercial grades, the European market offers particular opportunities for specialty and certified coffee. 

1. What makes Europe an interesting market for coffee?

Europe has a large coffee market, accounting for about one-third of global consumption. The consumed volume is expected to stay stable in the coming years. But market value is expected to grow due to premiumisation. This means that the value of coffee products is rising. Almost all coffee is sourced from producing countries directly as green coffee. About 70% of imports are Arabica. The rest is Robusta. 

Europe is the world’s largest coffee consumption market

Europe accounted for 30.7% of global coffee consumption in 2023/2024. This represents 3.26 million tonnes. Europe is the world’s largest coffee consumption market. Asia-Pacific is the second-largest, with a share of 25.8%, followed by North America (17.5%) and South America (15.8%).

European coffee consumption is expected to remain stable in volume but should grow in value. Almost all Europeans can afford coffee, so economic growth will not raise consumption much. But the value of the European coffee market is expected to increase. Europe’s share in global coffee consumption is expected to decline relative to other regions. This is mainly due to increasing consumption in Asia, especially China, Vietnam and Indonesia. These are fast-growing consumer markets. 

Source: International Coffee Organisation market report, August 2025

In 2023, Europeans drank an average of 5.7 kg of coffee per person per year. This is relatively high compared to other regions. For example, in the United States, the coffee consumption was 4.8 kg per person. Brazilians led the world with an average per capita consumption of 6.4 kg. 

Europe offers mainly opportunities for green coffee

Over 95% of European coffee imports are green coffee. European companies import green coffee and roast it locally. Roasted coffee imports are very limited in volume and value. 

Source: European Coffee Report 2024–2025

There are several reasons why Europe imports more green coffee than roasted or soluble coffee. 

• Trade duties on roasted coffee: Importers need to pay duties on roasted coffee. The standard third-country duty is 7.5% for caffeinated coffee and 9% for roasted decaffeinated, unless agreed otherwise in a trade agreement. Due to trade agreements, tariffs can differ from country to country. In recent years, tariffs for roasted coffee have been lifted for many countries, such as Colombia. However, some, such as Brazil, still have tariffs. There are no duties on green coffee. You can read more about these trade duties in our study on entering the European market for roasted coffee. 
• Shelf life: Green beans generally stay fresh for 6–12 months. This gives buyers more flexibility in matching supply and demand. 
• Taste profile: Roasters create taste profiles that vary per European market. This makes roasting close to the consumption market advantageous.
• Competition and marketing: The European market for roasted coffee is very competitive. There are many established brands, making it difficult for new players to enter. 

European countries source most coffee from producing countries directly. 

In 2024, Europe sourced 3.3 million tonnes of green coffee, recovering partly from a decline in 2023. This dip was mainly caused by lower global production. However, other factors played a role too. Many European countries faced economic challenges, such as high inflation rates. Post-pandemic efficiencies in larger ports meant that smaller European countries shifted their direct imports to major hubs. The war in Ukraine and the boycott of Russia also influenced Europe's coffee imports.

If we look at green coffee trade on a country-level, most coffee flows from the producing countries to the roasting countries directly (3,188,000 tonnes in 2024). A smaller share (112,000 tonnes in 2024) was imported from global re-exporters like the United States. Another part was imported into Europe and re-exported to other European countries before roasting (524,000 tonnes in 2024). Figure 3 displays the trade development by European countries from producing countries, global re-exporters and other European countries. Because Figure 3 includes re-exports, trade exceeds demand. 

Figure 3: European imports of green coffee (including decaffeinated) by origin, in thousand tonnes, 2020–2024.

Source: Eurostat and Trade Map

Germany is the largest coffee trade hub, followed by Belgium

In 2024, European companies imported 96.6% of all coffee directly from producing country suppliers. Only 3.4% of imports entered Europe through non-producing countries. About 15.9% of European imports are re-distributed to other European countries. Some European countries re-distribute significantly more than other countries. These countries are called trade hubs. 

Germany is the largest European importer and green coffee trade hub. Its key port, Hamburg, is home to some of the largest global trading companies, including Neumann Kaffee Gruppe (NKG). In 2024, it re-exported 205,000 tonnes of green coffee, mostly to neighbouring countries. Key destinations were Poland (80,000 tonnes), Spain (38,000 tonnes), the Netherlands (17,000 tonnes) and the Czech Republic (14,000 tonnes).

Belgium is the second-largest trade hub. It re-exported 157,000 tonnes of green coffee in 2024. Antwerp is one of Europe’s main ports due to its large storage capacity. Most exports were to France (72,000 tonnes), and Spain (20,000 tonnes). Germany (17,000 tonnes), the Netherlands (17,000 tonnes) and Poland (11,000 tonnes) were important destinations as well. 

Europe offers a large market for both Arabica and Robusta

Europe imports both Arabica and Robusta. In 2024, imports comprised 70% Arabica and 30% Robusta. Arabica imports to Europe have risen relative to Robusta. This is because of changing sourcing preferences, quality demand, regulatory pressures and supply trends. 

Brazil, Europe’s largest supplier, recorded very high exports. Almost 70% of its output was Arabica, and its exports to Europe grew by 42% in 2024. Arabica is seen as higher quality. It also works in line with Europe’s specialty coffee trends. Its premium image has pulled more demand away from Robusta. 

Vietnam, the world’s largest Robusta supplier, focused more and more on China as an export market. Uganda, a major Robusta producer, shipped less to Europe. Some European buyers, preparing for EUDR rules, started buying more from countries like Brazil and Colombia that already meet strict compliance standards. Uganda’s Robustas fit less well with European buyers’ preferences.

It is unclear how demand for Arabica and Robusta will develop. The United States’ tariffs are likely to disrupt coffee trade flows. For example, companies in the United States will likely buy more coffee from Mexico, with a low tariff, than from Vietnam, with a high tariff. This will lead to more Vietnamese (Robusta) coffee becoming available on the European market. Figure 4 shows the imports of Arabica and Robusta coffee. The leading cause of the 2023 drop in Arabica imports is the low availability due to bad weather conditions in Brazil. 

Figure 4: Green Arabica and Robusta imports directly from producing countries, in tonnes, 2020–2024

Source: Eurostat and ITC Trademap

Europe is the world’s largest market for certified coffee

Europe is the largest market for certified coffee. This includes Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and Organic certified coffee. You can read more about this in the section The European market for certified coffee is stagnating.

Short-term projection

Europe is a saturated market. In terms of volume, European imports are expected to remain stable in the 2025/2026 season. However, the market is expected to grow in terms of value. The main reason for this is premiumisation, which is the increasing value of coffee products. You can read more about this in our study on trends. 

Long-term projection

In terms of the long-term outlook, it is expected that demand for coffee will be greater than production. One important reason for this increase in demand is the growth of emerging markets in Asia, where more people are drinking coffee than ever before. This growing popularity means that more coffee is needed to keep up with what people want.

Another important factor is climate change, which is making it much harder to grow coffee, especially Arabica. Climate change leads to higher temperatures, unpredictable weather, and more pests and diseases. All these problems make it more difficult to produce enough coffee, and they also affect the quality of the beans. As a result, coffee is likely to become more expensive, there will be less of it available, and the taste or quality may not be as good as before.

Besides climate change, there is another big problem with supply. Fewer young people today want to become coffee farmers. Most coffee farmers are now between 55 and 60 years old. Not enough younger people are willing to take over their farms. This means that as older farmers retire, there may not be enough new farmers to keep producing coffee. If this continues, it could lead to even less coffee being produced in the future, making supply issues worse.

2. Which European markets offer most opportunities for coffee?

As for which markets offer most opportunities, the six largest markets are taken. Due to their size, these markets host many important buyers and have the best infrastructure. Germany is Europe’s largest green coffee importer. Italy, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland and the Netherlands follow. These six countries count for 80% of imports from producing countries. 

Figure 5: Green coffee imported directly from producing countries, in thousand tonnes, in 2024

Source: Eurostat and Trade Data

Germany is Europe’s most important coffee market

In 2024, Germany imported 1,160,000 tonnes of green coffee. Between 2020 and 2024, imports grew on average 0.9% per year. In 2023, however, imports declined by 17%, far more than the European average of 9.7%. Because of the global coffee shortage, European companies used stockpiles to meet demand. Germany, as a hub, also supplied less coffee to other European countries. Imports fully recovered by 2024. 

Around 91% of imports were sourced directly from producing countries. Brazil (489,000 tonnes) is by far the largest supplier of green coffee to Germany. Vietnam (182,000 tonnes), Honduras (64,000 tonnes), Uganda (51,000 tonnes), Colombia (50,000 tonnes) and Peru (47,000 tonnes) follow. To see the export from your country to Germany, hover your cursor or pointer over the countries in blue in Figure 6. 

Figure 6: German imports of green coffee per supplying country in 2024, in tonnes

Source: Eurostat

Most green coffee beans enter Germany through the Port of Hamburg. Neumann Kaffee Gruppe is the world's largest coffee trader. Its headquarters are in Hamburg. The ports of Bremen and Bremerhaven are also important entry points for coffee. Germany is the largest importer in Europe. This makes it a potential destination for exporters of various qualities and origins, either roasted locally or re-exported to other markets. Ecom and Neumann Kaffee Gruppe (NKG) are some of the largest German coffee traders. 

The German coffee market is known for fierce price competition between discounters. Examples are Aldi, Lidl and Rewe. Aldi Nord has its own roasting facility. Table 1 lists other larger German buyers. Note that this is only a short list of larger companies. A trend in the German market is the increase of smaller roasters. 

Table 1: List of larger potential German buyers

Germany offers a large consumer market

Germans consume 4.79 kg of roasted coffee per person yearly. This is more than the Swiss (3.94 kg), but far less than the Dutch (6.49 kg). Germany has Europe's second-largest branded coffee shop market and Europe’s second-largest market for shops specifically focused on coffee after the United Kingdom. This indicates a high interest in high-quality coffee.

Germany has a large market for certified coffee

Germany is a leading market for Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade, Organic and multi-certified coffee. 

Germany is the second-largest Rainforest Alliance-certified coffee importer in the world. Only Switzerland surpasses Germany, importing 369,000 tonnes in 2024. In 2024, Germany imported 174,000 tonnes, up 24% since 2023. The 18% increase in green coffee imports in 2024 is the main explanation for this growth. The 2023 green coffee imports were very low. This is due to a global production shortage and high prices.

Germany is one of the world’s largest markets for Fairtrade coffee. According to Fairtrade Germany, 5.3% of all consumption was Fairtrade certified in 2024. 

Based on Traces data, Germany is Europe’s largest market for organic coffee. This creates interesting opportunities for organically certified coffee exporters. However, Germany is also the most competitive organic coffee market in Europe. In 2024, Germany imported 49,000 tonnes of organic green coffee. This is a 15% decrease, despite an increase in green coffee imports in 2024. This is most likely caused by increased coffee prices. These drove consumers to cheaper non-organic alternatives.

Germany is known as a major destination for producers of organic-certified coffee. Examples of German traders of organic coffees include Bernhard Rothfos, InterAmerican Coffees, List + Beisler and Rehm & Co. 

Germany also has a large market for double-certified coffee. 75% of all Fairtrade-certified coffee was also organic certified. This percentage has been stable since 2011. It fluctuated between 68% and 78%. 5% of all German coffee was Fairtrade certified. So approximately 4% of all coffee sales in Germany were Fairtrade and Organic certified. The largest German retailers sell Fairtrade-Organic coffee. Aldi sells Fairtrade Organic coffee under its brand Simply Nature. Lidl sells Fairtrade Organic coffee under its brand Café del Mundo. REWE also sells Fairtrade-Organic coffee. 

Italy has a strong coffee roasting industry

Italy is Europe's second largest importer of green coffee beans. In 2024, imports reached 655,000 tonnes. growing at an average of 3.6% per year between 2020 and 2024. Over 95% of Italian imports are sourced directly from coffee-producing countries. The main supplier of green coffee to Italy is Brazil (238,000 tonnes), followed by Vietnam (133,000 tonnes) and Uganda (91,000 tonnes). To see the exports from your country to Italy, hover your mouse cursor or pointer over the countries in blue in Figure 7.

Figure 7: Italian imports of green coffee per supplying country in tonnes, in 2024

Source: Eurostat

Italy generally imports a large share of Robusta varieties used as a base for espresso blends. In 2024, Italy imported 243,000 tonnes of Robusta, 39% of its green coffee imports. This is much higher than other European countries. The average share of European Robusta imports is 30%. 

Italy hosts the third-largest consumer market in Europe

With almost 60 million citizens, Italy has a large consumer market. In total, Italians consumed 327,000 tonnes of coffee in 2022. This makes Italy one of the largest coffee consuming countries in the EU27, along with Germany and France. Italian consumers are generally very price-sensitive when it comes to coffee. They also prefer dark roasts, which makes bean quality less important. 

Italy has one of the largest coffee-roasting industries in Europe

Italy is home to many small-scale roasters. Some of these roasters are family-owned businesses. However, it also hosts some of the world’s largest roasters, like Lavazza, Massimo Zanetti BG and IllyCaffè. Most of Italian roasters’ produce is for the domestic market. However, Italian roasters also export a lot of their famous coffee brands to destinations throughout Europe and the United States. 

The forecast for the Italian coffee market is positive

The Italian import volume is expected to remain relatively stable in the coming years. Just like in other countries, the value growth is expected to come from premiumisation. While the market for coffee capsules and pads has stagnated, the ready-to-drink market and the specialty coffee market are expected to grow.

The Italian demand for certification is still small but growing

Third-party certification demand is limited in Italy. Demand for organic coffee in Italy is about 1% of the total market volume. Organic imports grew until they peaked in 2020, at 8,774 tonnes. Between 2021 and 2024, organic imports showed a yearly average decline of almost 7.3%. Based on Traces data, organic imports amounted to 6,487 tonnes in 2024. 

In 2023, only 726 tonnes (0.32% of the total market) of Italian green coffee imports were Fairtrade certified. Rainforest Alliance is more common, with 12,100 tonnes certified in 2024. Rainforest Alliance imports are up from 7,300 tonnes in 2022. 

Some buyers are leading the way in promoting certified coffee in the Italian market. Kimbo only sources Rainforest Alliance-certified coffees. Coop, a large retailer, sells roasted coffee products certified by the main certification standards, such as Fairtrade. Alce Nero is another brand that mostly sells Fairtrade. The company is also one of the leading organic coffee brands. IN’s is a large discount retailer with about 550 shops. The company has increased its share of Fairtrade in recent years and sells large volumes. 

Spain hosts a large out-of-home coffee market

In 2024, Spanish green coffee bean imports reached 345,000 tonnes. Spanish imports increased at an average yearly rate of 2.1% between 2020 and 2024. 79% of Spanish imports are sourced directly from coffee-producing countries. The main supplier of green coffee to Spain is Vietnam (110,000 tonnes), followed by Brazil (96,000 tonnes). Spain also sources a lot of green coffee from Germany (32,000 tonnes) and Belgium (20,000 tonnes). To see exports from your country to Spain, hover your cursor or pointer over the countries in blue in Figure 8. 

Figure 8: Spanish imports of green coffee per supplying country in tonnes, in 2024

Source: Eurostat

Spanish consumers are social consumers

Spanish consumers prefer espresso-based coffee drinks. Because of this, Spain offers a relatively large market for Robusta beans. With 260,000 coffee houses, Spain has the highest coffee house density per citizen. For most Spanish consumers, drinking coffee is about the social experience. 

Spain has a very high demand for decaffeinated coffee

Spain is the largest European market for decaffeinated coffee. In 2024, around 30,500 tonnes was imported. This is far more than the second largest importer, which is Switzerland with 11,600 tonnes. The Spanish dine late at night. The increased consciousness of caffeine’s effects on sleep quality furthers demand for decaffeinated coffee. 

Vietnam supplies 54% (16,700 tonnes) of Spain’s decaffeinated coffee imports. Germany (8,500 tonnes) and the Netherlands (2,700 tonnes) are also large suppliers. It is unknown to what extent these re-exported coffees also originate from Vietnam. 

Belgium is a trade hub for coffee in Europe

Belgium is one of the largest coffee trade hubs in Europe. It re-exported 184,000 tonnes in 2024. This makes Belgium the largest re-exporter in Europe. Belgium re-exports slightly more green coffee than Germany, with Germany re-exporting 179,000 tonnes of unaltered green coffee.

However, a major portion of Germany’s green coffee imports (141,000 tonnes) is decaffeinated before export. Since this processing adds value, these exports are not classified as simple re-exports. If we combine Germany’s re-exports with decaffeinated green coffee exports, Germany exports much more than Belgium overall. In numbers: Germany exports 321,000 tonnes, while Belgium exports 184,000 tonnes).

Belgium is Europe’s fourth-largest green coffee importer, with 278,000 tonnes in 2024. Between 2018 and 2022, it has seen a 6.4% yearly import growth rate. In 2023, however, imports fell by 25%, far more than the European average of 9.7%. High coffee prices led European companies to use existing stock to meet demand. Because Belgium is an important trade hub, Belgium was hit hard as traders had to reduce their imports. 

Although European coffee imports recovered mostly in 2024, Belgium’s imports declined by another 6%. The main reason was that it reduced its re-exports to the Netherlands. While Belgium re-exported 100,000 tonnes to the Netherlands in 2021, this dropped to 17,000 tonnes in 2024. Dutch companies more often source their coffee directly from producing countries. 

Belgium is still one of Europe’s main re-exporters. France is its main destination, with 72,000 tonnes. This amount has been steadily increasing over the past years. Spain (20,000 tonnes) and Germany (18,000 tonnes) are also important destinations. The Netherlands, while much reduced, comes fourth.

In 2024, 94% of Belgium’s green coffee imports came directly from producing countries. Brazil was the largest supplier of green coffee to Belgium, supplying 97,000 tonnes in 2024. This is 21% up from 2023. Honduras ranked second with 28,000 tonnes. Belgium mainly imported less from Vietnam due to the lower availability of Vietnamese coffee. Vietnamese exports to Belgium dropped from 68,000 tonnes in 2022 to 27,000 tonnes in 2024. To see exports from your country to Belgium, hover your cursor or pointer over the countries in blue in Figure 9. 

Figure 9: Belgian imports of green coffee per supplying country in tonnes, in 2024

Source: Eurostat

Rainforest Alliance is growing in Belgium

In 2024, Belgium imported 41,000 tonnes of Rainforest Alliance-certified coffee. This is a 27% volume growth, while green bean imports dropped by 6%. In 2023, Rainforest Alliance certified imports increased by 3% despite a 25% overall drop in green coffee imports. 

Rainforest Alliance is the leading sustainability label in major Belgian supermarkets. Lidl, Delhaize and Aldi all have Rainforest Alliance-certified coffees. Supermarket chains are increasingly committing to certification. This also applies to their own private label brands. 

Organic imports are growing

Belgian imports of organic green coffee amounted to 26,000 tonnes in 2024, the EU’s second-largest organic coffee importer. In 2024, organic imports were on the same level as in 2019. Between 2019 and 2024, imports fluctuated year by year between 21,000 tonnes in 2020 and 29,000 tonnes in 2023. 

Belgium’s retail scene is diverse. Major chains and small stores sell organic coffee. Demand has pushed large retailers, like Delhaize, Colruyt and Carrefour, to expand their organic lines. They often offer organic coffee brands at competitive prices. 

The Swiss love specialty coffee and source from producing countries

In 2023, Swiss green coffee bean imports reached 216,000 tonnes. Swiss imports increased at an average yearly rate of 3.1% between 2020 and 2024. Around 98% of Swiss imports are sourced directly from coffee-producing countries. Brazil (62,000 tonnes) is the main supplier of green coffee to Switzerland. They are followed by Colombia (39,000 tonnes) and Vietnam (18,000 tonnes). Nestlé, the world’s largest coffee company, has very large roasting facilities in Switzerland. To see exports from your country to Switzerland, hover your cursor or pointer over the countries in blue in Figure 10. 

Figure 10: Swiss imports of green coffee per supplying country in tonnes, in 2024

Source: ITC Trademap

Switzerland is an important market for certified coffee. In 2024, Switzerland imported 369,000 tonnes of Rainforest Alliance certified coffee, 40% up from 2023. Switzerland is the largest Rainforest Alliance certified coffee importer in the world, importing over twice the amount of number two, Germany. 

Swiss imports of organic green coffee are limited. According to BioSuisse, these amounted 1,466 tonnes in 2022, 1,639 tonnes in 2023 and 1,148 tonnes in 2024. These numbers only represent imports by BioSuisse certified companies. These are about 60% of the total organic green coffee imports. In total, about 1% of all green coffee imports are organic certified. To compare, this is above 4% in Germany. The decline in green coffee imports in 2024 is similar to most other European countries. One reason specific to the Swiss market is that Migros, Switzerland’s largest retailer, stopped purchasing many BioSuisse products. 

The higher demand for specialty coffee drives growth

Domestic demand for mainstream quality coffees has stagnated. But demand for high-quality coffees is growing. Swiss consumers also have high demand for decaffeinated coffee and espressos. If you want to broaden your network in the Swiss specialty coffee sector, there are many events you can go to:

• The Specialty Coffee Association Switzerland (SCAS) organises specific coffee events, seminars and courses. 
• The Swiss Coffee Festival is especially aimed at Swiss-German speakers. 
• The Swiss Coffee Connection is the main event for the French-speaking Swiss. There are also several private coffee academies authorised by SCAS to promote knowledge about specialty coffees, like Académie du Café. 

The Swiss Coffee Trade Association (SCTA) is an important organisation in Switzerland. Its membership includes several large multinational companies that manage a significant portion of the global coffee trade. This includes commercial and specialty coffees. Swiss traders are responsible for handling over 50% of global coffee transactions. This does not mean the coffee physically passes through Switzerland. Instead, trading activities are conducted through Swiss offices, often for tax purposes.

The Netherlands is large in roasting and re-exporting

The Netherlands is the sixth largest importer of green coffee in Europe, up from seventh place in 2020. Green coffee imports amounted to about 222,400 tonnes in 2024. Around 77% of this coffee was sourced directly from producing countries. In 2020, this share was only 30%. Most coffee entered into the Netherlands through Belgium. In 2024, only 19% came through Belgium. The Netherlands has taken over part of Belgium’s role as a trade hub. They re-exported 75,000 tonnes to other European countries in 2024. The largest share, 59,000 tonnes, was shipped to Germany. 

The Netherlands is one of the world’s largest exporters of roasted coffee. In 2024, it exported 96,000 tonnes of roasted coffee. This makes it the fourth largest exporter in Europe. Only Italy, Germany and Switzerland export larger volumes of roasted coffee. Roasted coffee exports from the Netherlands fell slightly from 99,000 tonnes in 2020. To see the export from your country to the Netherlands, hover your cursor or pointer over the countries in blue in Figure 11. 

Figure 11: Dutch imports of green coffee per supplying country in tonnes, in 2024

Source: Eurostat

Several coffee-trading companies are active in the Dutch market. These include S&D Sucden, Louis Dreyfuss Company (LDC) and the Dutch Bijdendijk. Dutch specialty coffee importers include Simon Levelt, Trabocca, This Side up and The Coffee Quest. The Port of Rotterdam is the main entry point for green coffee in the Netherlands.

3. Which products from developing countries have most potential on the European market? 

The European coffee market is highly competitive and slowly transforming. European consumers are more and more willing to pay more for high-quality coffees. This means opportunities in the high-end market are growing. While demand for certified coffee is no longer growing, there are still opportunities for many exporters. 

Growing demand for specialty coffee

Specialty coffee is very high quality coffee. The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), defines it as “a coffee or coffee experience that is recognised for its distinctive attributes, resulting in a higher value within the marketplace.”

Europe has the highest demand for specialty coffee in the world. It has a 46% global market share. Worldwide, the market is expected to grow. But decreasing availability and rising prices will likely slow consumption. Rising demand comes from higher spending power and consumers’ desire to engage with their products. Many European consumers want to know the origins of their coffee and how it was produced. 

There is growing demand for specialty coffee in all European markets, although this segment is largest in Northwestern Europe. Young consumers (18–24) in particular are very interested in specialty coffee. Interest among 25–39 year olds is also growing. Higher-income levels and awareness about sustainable consumption characterise this segment. Interest in specialty coffee is visible in the growing number of coffee bars and chains, small roasters, local brands and well-trained baristas. 

There are no official import statistics for differentiating coffee qualities. However, the number of branded coffee chain outlets is an important indicator, as most branded coffee chains sell specialty coffee. In 2024/2025, the branded coffee shop market grew by 4.7%. Europe’s leading brands are McCafé (3,983 stores), Starbucks (3,534 stores) and Costa Coffee (3,097 stores). Other examples include Caffè Nero, Pret a Manger, IllyCaffè, and Espresso House. Most of these brands sell high-quality coffee. Europe is home to 51,042 outlets in 2025, up from 40,675 in 2021. The United Kingdom and Germany lead the market (11,456 and 7,428, respectively). 

Besides the growing number of coffee chains, there are a growing number of micro roasters. This reflects the continent’s increasing interest in specialty coffee. Many of these small-scale businesses focus on sourcing high-quality beans and perfecting their roasting techniques to bring out unique flavours. Many of these roasters have their own cafes, catering to the local clientele. Germany, Europe’s largest market, is home to about 2,500 roasters. Many of these roasters are micro roasters that focus on specialty coffee. 

The European market for certified coffee is stagnating

Europe is the largest market for certified coffee in the world. Sustainability certification labels matter to consumers, roasters and traders. The main independent certification schemes in the coffee market are Fairtrade, Organic, Rainforest Alliance and 4C. 

Globally, certified coffee production exceeds the volume of what is sold as certified. This leads to certified beans being sold as conventional coffee. As a result, the direct benefits to farmers, like price premiums and access to new markets, are limited by the extent to which markets absorb the total volume of certified coffee. The lack of demand reduces price premiums and market access. This undermines the returns of farmers’ investments in sustainable production practices and certification. 

It looks like the gap between supply and demand is shrinking. In 2017, only 29% of certified coffee was sold as such. By 2023, this share rose to 51% of production. This indicates that a greater share is now sold with its certified status. The gap between supply and demand differs per certification scheme. Figure 12 provides insight into the share of certified produce that is sold as such. 

Figure 12: Percentage of certified coffee that is sold as certified

Source: Fairtrade International, Rainforest Alliance, 4C and TRACES

Beyond price premiums, other benefits make certification worthwhile. First, certification standards are not ‘random rules’. They offer clear guidelines to help you manage your coffee farm or business more effectively. Second, certification bodies provide several extras, like access to training, expert advice and finance. Third, certified production increases your market access opportunities. It gives you the flexibility to sell to certified and non-certified buyers. 

Rainforest Alliance is very popular in Europe

About one-fifth of all European green coffee imports are Rainforest Alliance certified. The import volumes fluctuate, from 687,000 tonnes in 2022 to 615,000 tonnes in 2023, to 751,000 tonnes in 2024. In 2023, European imports of Rainforest Alliance certified coffee decreased by 11.4%. This is just above the European green coffee import decrease (-9.7%). In 2024, Rainforest Alliance-certified coffee rebounded by 22%, outpacing the overall growth of 7.9%. In 2024, 22.7% of all green coffee imports were Rainforest Alliance certified. This is up from 20.1% in 2023 and 20.3% in 2022. 

Import levels differ a lot per European country. Switzerland (369,000 tonnes), Germany (174,000 tonnes) and the Netherlands (60,000 tonnes) are Europe’s largest Rainforest Alliance-certified coffee importers. Nestle’s Nespresso is a well-known and popular European coffee brand certified with the Rainforest Alliance label. Large European retailers also sell Rainforest Alliance-certified coffees. These include the German Kaufland, Lidl and REWE chains, British ASDA and large roasters like Lavazza.

Declining demand for organic certified coffee 

After steady growth of 5.4% per year between 2019 and 2021, demand for organic coffee has declined. Imports dropped by 0.8% in 2022, 1.3% in 2023 and 12.8% in 2024. There are multiple reasons for the sharp drop in 2024. First, a lot of organic coffee is sold as conventional coffee. Due to the increased prices in 2024, producers were sometimes able to earn more selling their coffee as conventional coffee. Second, demand was lower, as increased prices drove consumers towards cheaper alternatives. Third, due to higher prices, buyers used their stocks to meet demand.

Future demand is hard to predict. When prices fall, consumers may return to organic coffee. However, with growing global demand and climate change’s effects increasing, global prices will likely peak more frequently. It is also unclear what the effects of the stricter European regulation on organic imports on organic coffee production will be.

Europe’s main organic markets are Germany (49,000 tonnes), Belgium (30,000 tonnes), Sweden (12,000 tonnes) and France (12,000 tonnes). 

Fairtrade is shrinking

No statistics are available on European Fairtrade-certified coffee imports as a region. However, global production of Fairtrade certified coffee declined from 923,000 tonnes in 2021 to 578,000 tonnes in 2023. Fewer farmers chose to be Fairtrade certified. Adverse weather conditions also played a role in this reduced harvest figures. Global sales of Fairtrade-certified coffee also declined, from 221,000 tonnes in 2021 to 203,000 tonnes in 2023. 

Germany is the largest market for Fairtrade coffee, followed by the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and France. To read more about these markets, read the section Which European markets offer most opportunities for coffee? 

In-house company standards

After years of growth, Europe's demand for third-party certified coffee has stalled. Meanwhile, many large coffee companies have developed their own sustainability programmes. These are known as company standards. Company standards are intended to establish a baseline for sustainable production practices. Usually, they are less demanding than independent third-party programmes like Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade. The Global Coffee Platform recognises many company standards through to its equivalence mechanism.

In 2020, just 4.4% of the Global Coffee Platform (GCP) members sourced its coffee according to a company standard. By 2023, the share had grown to 21%. Note that GCP members do not represent the whole market. In 2023, they handled 21% of global green coffee exports. Examples of company sustainability programmes for coffee traders and processors include:

• AAA Program (Nespresso)
• AtSource (Ofi)
• Bloom (Neumann Kaffee Gruppe (NKG))
• C.A.F.E. Practices (Starbucks)
• IMPACT (Sucafina)
• LIFT (Mercon Coffee Group)
• Sustainability Management Services (ECOM)
• The Volcafé Way (Volcafé)

Enveritas is a second party scheme, recognised by the Global Coffee Platform. It is sometimes seen as a second party standard because it is issued by buyers, not suppliers. European companies like JDE Peet’s also use Enveritas extensively. 

Being multi-certified requires additional work and sometimes money, but it can also offer better market access. The GCP sustainability report 2023 (p. 23) provides an overview of the certification schemes active in the largest coffee-producing countries. 

Molgo Research carried out this study in partnership with Ethos Agriculture on behalf of CBI.

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