In the context where consumers simultaneously pursue quality, convenience and personalisation, on-the-go coffee brands need to balance premium experiences with diverse scenarios to promote comprehensive category penetration. Jean Lu, Associate…
China
Coffee
simple
China Instant, Drip Bag and Pod Coffee Market Report 2025
In the context where consumers simultaneously pursue quality, convenience and personalisation, on-the-go coffee brands need to balance premium experiences with diverse scenarios to promote comprehensive category penetration.
Graph 27: proportion of heavy instant coffee drinkers, by monthly household income, 2023-25
Groups with relatively high monthly household income have a strong willingness to upgrade, and instant coffee has a chance for a premium breakthrough
Graph 28: willingness to upgrade/downgrade instant coffee consumption – trading up, by monthly household income, 2025
Over half of high monthly household income consumers focus on the degree of roast, brewing methods and tasting methods
Graph 29: innovation features, 2025
Comprehensive product communication aids personalised product selection
Consumers with higher monthly household income value the quality of coffee beans
Graph 30: factors to consider when buying on-the-go coffee, by monthly household income, 2025
Enhancing the perception of product value through comprehensive information and communication of coffee bean quality
Let high MHI users see the value: target the scarcity of organic certifications
Examples of global organic instant coffee innovations
Recommend milk coffee combinations to attract lower-income families
Graph 31: product preference – milk coffee/black coffee, among instant coffee drinkers with a monthly household income of RMB9,999 or less, 2025
Case: a guide to brewing methods for hot or cold milk coffee
Drip bag coffee: scenario-oriented communication and low-caffeine innovation help convert female consumers
The penetration rate of drip bag coffee is increasing yearly, with potential for increasing women’s consumption frequency
Graph 32: drip bag coffee category penetration rate, by gender, 2023-25
Graph 33: heavy drinkers of drip bag coffee, by gender, 2023-25
Magnify drip bag coffee’s characteristics to create differentiated drinking scenarios
Graph 34: drinking occasions, 2025
Breakfast could be the key daypart to drive drip bag coffee adoption among female consumers
Graph 35: drip bag coffee consumption scenario, by gender, 2025
Case study of associating drip bag coffee with breakfast
Tourism market recovers: travel and holidays are the most often-discussed scenarios for drip bag coffee
Tap into drip bag coffee’s potential opportunities in travel scenarios
New product development in low-caffeine drip bag coffee can appeal to female consumers
Graph 36: product preference – caffeine content, by gender, 2025
Pod coffee: diverse consumption combinations help with penetration into everyday scenarios, with localised coffee beans driving differentiated upgrades
Pod coffee most readily evokes the impression of being high-end, but its everyday image has yet to be established
Graph 37: coffee format perception – drip bag/pod/liquid coffee, 2025
The intention to trade up in pod coffee consumption is the highest – the key is to integrate it into everyday life
Graph 38: trading up*, by on-the-go coffee category, 2025
Leverage diverse pairing options to expand consumption scenarios, aiding pod coffee in penetrating daily life
Graph 39: drinks to pair coffee with, 2025
Coffee milk upgrade: chilled fresh milk and plant-based milk lead beverage innovation
Creative ways to drink black coffee: sparkling water and coconut water usher in healthiness and refreshment
Coffee in dessert: ice cream and yogurt open up a variety of ways to blend coffee with food
Besides flavour, pod coffee drinkers place greater emphasis on the quality of coffee beans and craftsmanship
Graph 40: factors considered when purchasing on-the-go coffee – overall population, 2025
Graph 41: factors considered when purchasing on-the-go coffee – pod coffee drinkers, 2025
The quality upgrade of pod coffee can conform to the localisation trend of coffee beans
APPENDIX – MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST, RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND ABBREVIATIONS
In the context where consumers simultaneously pursue quality, convenience and personalisation, on-the-go coffee brands need to balance premium experiences with diverse scenarios to promote comprehensive category penetration.
Jean Lu, Associate Research Analyst, China
Market Definitions
This Report covers packaged coffee, including instant, drip bag and pod coffee:
Pod coffee refers to coffee products that require a pod coffee machine
The Report excludes packaged ground coffee, coffee beans and ready-to-drink (RTD) liquid formats
The Report collectively refers to instant coffee, drip bag, pod coffee and coffee concentrate as ‘on-the-go coffee’.
The Report discusses the market size and forecast covering instant, drip bag and pod coffee (excluding pod coffee machines):
Market size is based on sales through all retail channels (off-trade), including direct to consumer.
Although liquid coffee/coffee concentrate is not covered in the market size, it is included in the consumer research and discussed in the consumer sections.
Subgroup definitions (by consumption frequency):
‘Heavy drinkers’ refers to people who consume a certain type of coffee once a day or more.
‘Moderate drinkers’ refers to people who consume a certain type of coffee once a week or more.
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