South Korea’s coffee bean imports reached a record high in 2022, a clear indication of the country’s growing preference for coffee. According to the Korean Coffee Society (KCS), the import of coffee beans, including raw and roasted, is expected to reach $1.3 billion in 2022, a 42.4% increase from 2021’s $920 million.
In terms of volume, South Korea imported 200,000 tons of coffee beans, a 9.5% increase. This is enough to make 1.3 cups of coffee per adult in the country daily. The imports of raw coffee beans rose 10% to 180,000 tons, while roasted coffee bean imports increased 4.9% to 20,000 tons.
The largest source of raw coffee bean imports for South Korea is Brazil, accounting for 26% of the total, followed by Vietnam at 18% and Colombia at 17%. When it comes to roasted coffee bean imports, the US leads with 58% of the total, followed by Switzerland at 14% and Italy at 12%.
This data shows the continued growth of South Korea’s coffee industry and highlights the country’s increasing demand for high-quality coffee.