As coffee has shifted from an “imported novelty” to an everyday necessity in many cities, an often-overlooked fact is that China’s domestic coffee output is far from enough to support its rapidly expanding consumption. The gap between domestic supply and demand is continuously filled by imports. The 2024 customs data outlines the full picture of this import map — and the cup we drink each day may have traveled all the way from a Brazilian estate or a Colombian mountainside. Understanding this map also explains why the price of a cup of coffee is tied to the weather, exchange rates and futures screens on the other side of the planet.
Total volume: 213,300 tonnes and a dependency rate above 50%
According to China Customs, in 2024 China’s coffee imports reached 213,300 tonnes with a value of US$1.099 billion. To put that in perspective: on a consumption basis, USDA figures put China’s 2024/25 coffee consumption at about 378,000 tonnes, up 9.3% year on year. On the production side, Yunnan contributes over 98% of the nation’s coffee, producing about 108,000 tonnes of green beans annually. Between falling domestic output and rising consumption, the import dependency rate has long stayed above 50% — in other words, more than half of the coffee in Chinese cups comes from overseas. Dividing imports by consumption makes the dependency obvious; and stretching the timeline, this dependency curve shows little sign of turning downward, because domestic consumption growth keeps outpacing production growth.
Structure: green beans dominate, domestic roasting rises
A notable shift in import structure is the move toward “green beans.” In 2024, unroasted green coffee beans accounted for 94.79% of import volume and 85.92% of import value. This means more and more coffee enters the country as green beans and is roasted and processed domestically. Compared with the early days of importing roasted beans or instant powder directly, this shift reduces transport loss, preserves more flavor compounds, and improves freshness and customization. Behind it lies the rapid expansion of domestic roasting capacity and a specialty-grade trend: from large chains’ self-built roasteries to the scattered independent roasting workshops across cities, the growth in green-bean imports is essentially the localization of the “roast in China, for China” segment of the value chain. For consumers, the most direct dividend is that “roasted this week” beans have become possible.
Source-country pattern: a highly concentrated “one lead, two followers”
Import source countries show clear top-end concentration. In 2024, Brazil led with 82,700 tonnes (US$332 million), about 38.75% of China’s coffee imports; Colombia (42,500 tonnes, US$210 million) accounted for 19.91%; Vietnam (27,800 tonnes, US$120 million) 13.04%; and Ethiopia followed closely with 18,200 tonnes (US$118 million). Thus South America, Africa and Southeast Asia form a “one lead, two followers” supply pattern, with Brazil and Colombia together making up nearly 60% of China’s imports. The sources play different roles: Brazil leads on commercial-grade arabica and robusta volume, Colombia is known for balanced washed beans, Ethiopia as the birthplace of arabica supplies specialty Yirgacheffe, and Vietnam fills robusta and instant-material demand.
Where the import growth comes from: the rise of ready-made drinks
Who is consuming these imported beans? To a large extent, it is domestic ready-made-drink brands. Chains represented by Luckin, Cotti and Luckin’s low-price sibling Luckin (Lucky Cup) procure green beans at “ten-thousand-store” scale and high frequency, pushing imported coffee from the specialty circle into the mass cup. Top domestic brands now buy green beans by the tens of thousands of tonnes a year, and their blending formulas directly determine the procurement weight placed on Brazil, Colombia and other origins. In other words, the growth curve of China’s coffee imports is highly synchronized with the price wars and store expansions of domestic freshly brewed coffee. This also explains why the cost structure of a ¥9.9 americano hides the volatility of international green-bean prices.
Risks: price cycles, climate and exchange rates
Heavy reliance on imports means pricing power is not in our own hands. International coffee futures (such as ICE arabica) fluctuate year-round; extreme weather such as Brazilian frosts and droughts can sharply drive up global bean prices in the short term — the 2021 Brazilian frost triggered a notable rally. Combined with RMB exchange-rate swings, import costs are further amplified or compressed. For domestic roasters and brands, price-locking procurement, multi-source blending and building strategic inventories are shifting from “options” to “necessities” for riding out cycles. This also explains why leading companies increasingly value direct sourcing at origin and overseas warehouse layouts.
Trend: from raw-material input to a pricing anchor
Import origins have in recent years migrated from Southeast Asia toward South America — Brazil’s share of China’s coffee imports has approached 40%, consistent with its position as the world’s largest coffee producer. At the other end, Yunnan coffee is also accelerating its “going out”: according to Kunming Customs, in the first eight months of 2026 Yunnan exported 11,000 tonnes of coffee worth ¥450 million to 42 countries and regions. Between imports and exports, China’s coffee industry is gradually moving from mere raw-material input to participating in the reshaping of global supply and pricing. For domestic roasters, mastering direct sourcing and blending capability at origin is becoming the key to riding out international coffee futures price cycles.
Summary
China’s coffee import map is a mismatched picture of a “small producing country, large consuming country”: dependency has long stayed above half, structure is accelerating toward green beans, and sources are highly concentrated in Brazil and Colombia. In the short term, price, climate and exchange rate remain the three swords hanging over costs; in the long term, as Yunnan beans go overseas and domestic roasting rises, this map is moving from one-way input to a two-way loop. To understand imports is to understand the foundation of China’s coffee industry.
Sources: China Customs / AbeeData “2025 Brief Analysis of China’s Coffee Import and Export Trade”; Hongta Futures “China’s Coffee Market: Supply Analysis” (July 2026); JiaKen Consulting “2024 China Coffee Product Import Trend Analysis”; published statistics of Kunming Customs. Data in this article is subject to the public sources cited.
This article is original compilation by coffeeyo.com. The data and viewpoints herein are subject to the public sources cited above and are for industry reference only, not constituting any trading advice.
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