CoffeeBI FAQs

Cost depends on a few factors. The country matters: large or complex markets (the USA, China, Russia, India, Australia) and markets where data is harder to access — due to low market penetration, political factors or limited public information — typically cost more. The depth of analysis matters too: CoffeeBI works with a scale of levels from A to E, and the deeper the analysis, the higher the cost and the longer the production time tends to be.

Timing varies with the scope of the request. Because every analysis is tailored to the client’s brief rather than delivered as a pre-packaged report, turnaround depends on the methodology used, the number of countries involved and the depth of analysis required. Simpler requests can be ready in a few days; more complex, multi-country or multi-level analyses can take several weeks. We keep every analysis thorough and tailored to deliver the most accurate and useful insights.

Investing in a country or segment without knowing the market can involve significant risk and potential financial loss. It’s worth knowing at least the basics: market size, trends, and the specifics of the market and its competitors. Market size helps you evaluate the growth potential and sustainability of an investment; market trends help you understand current and future dynamics so you can adapt your strategy; and understanding competitors helps you spot opportunities and threats and position your product or service correctly.

If you’re looking for background information without commissioning a full analysis, the CoffeeBI Magazine is a good place to start. Whether you’re a researcher, a student or simply looking for context, the magazine is a useful free resource.

CoffeeBI’s methodology follows a systematic, top-down approach. We start from the broader economic environment and trade trends of a country, then look at import and export patterns and production or transformation processes, before moving into the market itself.

We work with a modular structure: starting from the total market size in a country, we split it into home versus out-of-home consumption (for coffee) or out-of-home sales (for machines), then further into HORECA versus non-HORECA, and into additional sub-segments where a client’s brief calls for it. We then work back the other way, reconstructing the data from the micro-segments up to validate the findings — and we cross-check coffee-market data against coffee-machine data for the same country and segment to keep the two consistent.

Our coffee market analyses cover four main categories: coffee beans; roast & ground coffee, used in drip coffee makers, French presses and espresso machines; instant & soluble coffee; and portioned coffee — pods and capsules used in pod-based machines. Depending on the level of the analysis, we can break these down further.

Our coffee-machine market analyses focus on professional, out-of-home equipment:

• Traditional espresso machines — operated manually, valued in specialty coffee shops for the barista’s control over the brew.
• Fully automatic espresso machines — automate the whole process from grinding to milk frothing, common in offices and self-service settings.
• Filter brewers — used for large-volume drip coffee in restaurants, hotels and cafés.
• Instant / soluble coffee machines — favoured where speed and convenience matter most, such as quick-service restaurants and office break rooms.

Both. For coffee and coffee-machine market analyses alike, we collect and report data in volume and in value.

We visualise the depth of our analysis as a pyramid. At the broadest level (Level A) we estimate the total market of a country. Level B splits it into home versus out-of-home consumption for coffee, or the out-of-home machines sold. Level C breaks the out-of-home segment down into HORECA (hotels, restaurants, cafés) versus non-HORECA (offices, communities). Level D goes further — HORECA into coffee shops versus coffee services, and non-HORECA into offices versus communities, or, for machines, into OCS and vending. From there, Level E can reach into additional micro-segments.

You choose where the analysis should stop: the deeper it goes, the more it affects both timing and cost.

Yes, once the market size has been established — and only from Level B onward. We prefer to analyse market size first to build an accurate picture, then go deeper into competition and market share. Going into finer sub-segments requires a change in methodology, so we don’t offer market-share and competition analysis below Level B.

Once we’ve agreed on the scope of the work together, CoffeeBI sets out the steps for the analysis with you, and our team of coffee-market consultants and analysts gets to work.

It depends on the depth of analysis: a market-size overview can typically be ready within a few days to a couple of weeks, while more in-depth, multi-level analyses can take several weeks, depending on the specific request.

CoffeeBI is a primary source of information on the coffee and coffee-machine markets: we produce data from official raw primary sources in the countries we analyse, including export, import and general market-trend data, and official numbers on the openings and closings of coffee shops, hotels, accommodation facilities, offices and other high-traffic places. We double-check our data by cross-referencing the coffee market against the coffee-machine market, and by comparing our findings against other primary or secondary sources, such as trade associations.

Primary sources are original, first-hand documents or evidence directly related to the topic under investigation — official country statistics, our own data elaboration, interviews conducted by CoffeeBI, and original research or documents. CoffeeBI acts as a primary source when it produces market-size analyses on the coffee and coffee-machine markets, going into the various levels of the out-of-home market.

Secondary sources are interpretations or analyses based on third-party material — articles, interviews, research or reviews produced by other organisations. Some of our lighter, desk-research-based reports are built primarily on secondary sources, while our in-depth market-size analyses are primary-source research.

CoffeeBI analyses the whole market with a top-down approach, starting from general market data and dividing it into segments and sub-segments. Trade associations, by contrast, base their analyses only on data provided by their own members, which represents just a partial view of consumption or sales in a given country.

For example: a coffee-machine association in country A collects data only from operators registered with it who declare sales in countries A, B and C. That data covers only the association’s members — excluding local operators who aren’t members, operators from other countries exporting into A, B and C, and non-member operators in country A itself. CoffeeBI data, by contrast, starts from an actual consumption-and-sales approach: starting from the numbers and then tracing back to the operators active in the country.

We use official numbers on the openings and closings of coffee shops, hotels, accommodation facilities, offices and other high-traffic places, and we conduct interviews with operators at exhibitions and one-on-one with industry experts and managers. After more than 10 years of activity, CoffeeBI has also accumulated a large proprietary base of information from these sources, which we draw on to generate accurate, insightful analyses.

CoffeeBI can cover almost any country in the world, though clients most often request the markets that are most active from a coffee perspective. In Europe, that typically means Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the United Kingdom. In the Americas, the USA, Canada, Mexico and Brazil stand out. Across APAC, common requests cover China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Australia, Singapore, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Taiwan. In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar are notable markets, with strong traditional coffee cultures alongside fast-growing modern consumption.

Yes, on request. We typically recommend a 3-year forecast period, since markets are highly variable and 3 years offers a reasonable balance between accuracy and the ability to adapt to changing conditions — but we can adjust the forecast period to meet specific needs.

No. CoffeeBI performs business-intelligence work carried out by coffee-market experts, analysts, researchers and consultants, who use primary sources — export, import and general market-trend data — alongside official numbers on openings and closings of coffee shops, hotels, accommodation facilities, offices and other high-traffic places. Over more than 10 years of activity, this has built up into a large, proprietary base of information and data.

Start by defining what you actually need to know, along with your scope, budget and timing — from there we can point you to the right solution.

If what you’re after is consumer behaviour rather than market size — demographics, preferences, buying habits, product-test feedback — that’s a distinct type of research aimed at understanding your target audience; see coffeebi.com/consumers/ for more. For anything else, the fastest way to move forward is to request a report or talk to a consultant directly.

Not as standard, pre-packaged reports. CoffeeBI doesn’t offer off-the-shelf reports for coffee machines or in-depth coffee-market analysis — every client has different needs in terms of scope and depth, so we build each analysis as a custom report around your brief, personalising the final output to match what you actually need.

Leave your name, company name, email address and phone number on our contact page, and a member of the CoffeeBI team will get back to you promptly.

Leave your details — name, company name, email address and phone number — on our contact page, and a member of our staff will reach out within 24 hours.

CoffeeBI is headquartered in Milan, Italy. Alongside our main office, we work with a network of consultants and partners located in various parts of the world.

Our team is available from 9 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Friday, Central European time. We’re closed on weekends and Italian public holidays, but you can always reach out by email and we’ll respond as soon as possible on the next business day.