SPECIAL REPORTS

KBR Special Reports

South Koreans Drink 416 Cups of Coffee Per Capita Annually... The Current State of the 'Coffee Republic' and Key Market Watchpoints for 2026

According to Euromonitor, South Korea's per capita annual coffee consumption reached 416 cups in 2024, which is 2.7 times the global average. Combined domestic sales and exports of coffee products totaled 3.7359 trillion won in 2024, achieving an average annual growth rate of 5.2% over six years. In 2025, coffee import values surpassed 2조 won for the first time due to soaring green coffee bean prices and a rising exchange rate. International bean prices bottomed out in February 2026 before rebounding in August amid concerns over supply disruptions in Brazil, driving increased volatility. Conversely, National Tax Service statistics showed that the number of coffee shops declined for the first time in the first quarter of 2025, and clear profitability strains are evident as operating profits fall despite rising franchise sales. Sales impacts were confirmed following a Starbucks brand controversy in May, which saw weekly payment amounts drop by 26.3%. Around the same time, brands like The Venti and Mega MGC Coffee adjusted their prices, though the industry attributes these adjustments to complex cost factors such as exchange rates and bean prices rather than the controversy. Despite a high import-dependency structure, K-coffee exports continued their growth, with Israel surpassing China to become the largest export market starting in 2023.