Seoul: The size of South Korea's coffee market was estimated at 3.7 trillion won (US$2.61 billion) in 2024, a study by the agriculture ministry showed Tuesday, with demand shifting from coffee mix to roasted beans.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs reported that the market for coffee products in South Korea rose 5.2 percent on average over the past six years from 2.75 trillion won in 2018. The report highlighted that sales of roasted coffee beans surged 15.8 percent annually from 2018 to 2024, reaching 1.3 trillion won. In contrast, sales of processed coffee products, including three-in-one coffee mixes, decreased by 0.5 percent on average over the same period, totaling 871.1 billion won.

The number of cafes in the country increased to 106,452 in 2023, marking a 5.7 percent rise from the previous year. Cafes represented 13.4 percent of the total food service establishments in 2023, compared to 9.3 percent in 2018.

South Korea's exports of coffee-related products were valued at US$229.6 million in 2024, reflecting a 4.6 percent increase from the previous year. Exports to Israel constituted 18.1 percent of the total, followed by China with 15.4 percent and Australia with 7.1 percent.