The increasing popularity of on-premise coffee is a challenge for the ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee market. To shore up their competitive advantage, RTD black coffee and RTD milk coffee need to create differentiation by focusing on their own unique attributes.
Marta Zhang, Senior Analyst, China Insights
Market Definitions
The Report discusses the following ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee products:
RTD coffee drinks, which include coffee drinks sold through retail channels such as supermarkets that can be consumed directly, such as Starbucks Frappuccino and Bernachon (贝纳颂). They can be consumed immediately without the need to add water or flavourings.
Subgroup definitions:
- high-frequency consumers are those who drink it once a day or more
- medium-frequency consumers are those who drink it once or several times a week
- low-frequency consumers are those who drink it less than once a week
Collapse All
-
Executive summary
- Key issues in this Report
- Definitions
- What you need to know
- RTD coffee market: key indicators
- Market factors
- New product trends
- Consumer trends
- Future opportunities
-
The market
- Market size and forecast
- Continued expansion of on-premise coffee posing a challenge to the RTD coffee market
- Graph 1: best- and worst-case forecast of retail value sales in the RTD coffee market, 2020-30
- Value for money and portability benefits contribute to volume sales stability
- Graph 2: best- and worst-case forecast of retail volume sales in the RTD coffee market, 2020-30
- Market factors
- Macroeconomic indicators overview
- Coffee drinking is becoming more habitual…
- Graph 3: consumption penetration*, 2021-25
- Graph 4: proportion of high-frequency consumers**, 2021-25
- ……while falling on-premise coffee prices is fuelling consumer demand
- New national food safety standards forbid misleading ‘no added’ claims in pre-packaged foods
- Graph 5: ‘no added’ claims consumers value, 2023-25
-
Companies and brands
- Competitive landscape
- Riding the private label wave, retailers are launching more RTD coffee products
- Graph 6: new launches of RTD coffee products, by type of brand, 2020-25
- Nongfu Spring’s coffee products continue their expansion at Sam’s Club
- Nescafé’s new coffee products launched in the Yunnan production region
- Drinks brands increasing their stake in RTD coffee market with differing product strategies
- New product trends
- Black coffee products increase their share significantly
- Graph 7: new launches of RTD coffee products – Americano/black coffee, 2020-25
- New larger-format products continue to gain market attention
- Graph 8: new launches of RTD coffee products, by product size, 2020-25
- Flavour innovations: rise of fruit, vegetable and Chinese flavours
- Graph 9: flavours landscape of new RTD coffee products
- Flavours landscape: methodology
- Examples of fruit and vegetable flavoured products
- Examples of products with Chinese flavours
- Minus claims dominate in new RTD coffee products, growth momentum of natural claims stabilising
- Graph 10: claims landscape for RTD coffee products
- Rise in number of new products with functional and plus claims
- Graph 11: new launches of RTD coffee products, by claim type, 2020-25
- Examples of functional RTD coffee products
-
The consumer
- RTD coffee consumer trends and category penetration
- RTD coffee remains in the top three for market penetration
- Graph 12: penetration of coffee segments, 2023-25
- RTD coffee penetration is gradually increasing among high income and female consumers
- Graph 13: RTD coffee penetration rate, by monthly household income, 2023-25
- Graph 14: RTD coffee penetration rate, by gender, 2023-25
- Drinking freshly made coffee becoming more habitual among consumers; RTD coffee consumption frequency stalling
- Graph 15: consumption frequency – freshly made coffee from foodservice channels/coffee houses, 2023-25
- Graph 16: consumption frequency – RTD coffee, 2023-25
- Proportion of high-frequency consumers in high-income groups has surpassed that in low-income groups
- Graph 17: proportion of high-frequency consumers – RTD coffee, by monthly household income, 2023-25
- Milk coffee leads market segment penetration, followed closely by pure black coffee
- Graph 18: consumption frequency of RTD coffee segments, 2025
- Consumption frequency of traditional categories continues to increase; flavoured options facing obstacles to growth
- Graph 19: RTD coffee segments consumption frequency – several times a week or more, 2024-25
- New cold brew black coffee products
- Black coffee: with trend towards larger sizes, quality upgrades and expansion of drinking occasions are keys to success
- Degree of roast and brewing process are the most sought-after factors and brand power is crucial
- Graph 20: product selection factors, 2025
- Improve processing methods to stand out
- Graph 21: product selection factors, by monthly household income, 2025
- Future: brands and consumers increasingly value sustainable processes
- Primary advantage of larger sizes is value for money and shareability supports premiumisation
- Graph 22: advantages of larger sizes, 2025
- Graph 23: advantages of larger sizes, by monthly household income, 2025
- High-frequency consumers prefer the freshness and flexibility of larger-sized products
- Graph 24: pros of sharing sizes, by RTD coffee consumption frequency, 2025
- Use packaging to highlight the product’s freshness
- Larger formats: flexibility is the new growth opportunity
- Case study: bottled customisable brew strength black coffee
- The future: larger sizes, multiple servings
- Black coffee: the all-day choice for the workweek
- Graph 25: RTD coffee drinking occasions, 2025
- Shift emphasis from quick boost to suitability as an all-day drink
- Milk coffee: use flavour to highlight leisure attributes; focus on potential of fitness scenarios and meal pairings
- RTD coffee is more suited to outdoor leisure scenarios
- Graph 26: drinking occasions, 2025
- Milk coffee products are more aligned with weekend leisure scenarios
- Graph 27: RTD coffee drinking occasions, 2025
- Richness and coffee flavour more important than milk flavour
- Graph 28: taste preferences for milk coffee, 2025
- Focus on aroma in milk coffee and highlight suitability for leisure scenarios
- Graph 29: taste preferences for milk coffee, 2025
- Use low sweetness and intense flavours to target the premium market
- Graph 30: milk coffee taste preferences – sweetness, by monthly household income, 2025
- Graph 31: milk coffee taste preferences, by monthly household income, 2025
- Examples of strong coffees
- Tap into the potential of fitness scenarios
- Graph 32: drinking occasions – before/after working out, by RTD coffee consumption frequency, 2025
- RTD coffee: a new option for protein supplementation in sports scenarios
- Graph 33: new launches of ready-to-drink milk coffee products, 2020-25
- Graph 34: interest in added ingredients in sports nutrition food/drinks, 2024
- Use high protein to build a healthful image for RTD coffee
- Focus on food pairing opportunities; milk coffee has greater potential in main meals and Chinese desserts
- Graph 35: pairing with foods, 2025
- Provide meal inspirations with partner brands
- From pairing with food to becoming an integral part of the food
-
Appendix – market size and forecast, research methodology and abbreviations
- Market size and forecast
- Methodology
- Methodology: TURF analysis
- Abbreviations
Market Intelligence Made Easier With Mintel
The first Mintel Market Intelligence report was published over 50 years ago. Since then, we have provided our unique insights and understanding of consumers, innovation and global markets to thousands of customers worldwide. Here’s why our customers rely on Mintel:
- Gain a comprehensive, 360-degree view of the market: Mintel reports blend consumer research, market forecasts, product innovation tracking, and competitive analysis, allowing businesses to see every angle of their industry and identify new opportunities quickly.
- Make decisions with confidence, grounded in robust data: Each report draws on up-to-date, reliable information from trusted sources and industry experts, ensuring your strategies are based on solid evidence rather than speculation.
- Benefit from expert analysis and practical recommendations: Mintel’s reports are written by experienced analysts who interpret complex data and provide clear, actionable insights you can trust to guide your next moves.
- Stay ahead with actionable intelligence on market trends and consumer behaviour: By combining fresh research with long-term market monitoring, our reports help businesses anticipate changes and adapt strategically. So you’re prepared to make informed decisions and drive growth.
What goes into a Mintel Market Intelligence Report?
Curious about how a Market Intelligence report comes together? We like to think of it as building a detailed puzzle. We start with individual pieces: data from consumers, market statistics, industry trends, and online conversations. Then our expert analysts add world-class human insight and industry knowledge. The pieces are assembled to reveal a clear, comprehensive picture of a market.
The Four Pillars of Our Research
We use a combination of four main research methods when creating our reports, each adding a valuable perspective:
- Consumer Research: Direct surveys with real people, giving us clear, current insights into what people think and do.
- Desk Research: In-depth review of trusted data sources. We use this rich database, plus powerful internal tools that track new products and market sizes, to detect trends and guide forecasts.
- Trade Research: Insights from conversations with industry experts. Their real-world experience helps us understand what’s happening behind the scenes.
- Brand and Social Media Research: Analysis of online opinions and trends. This lets us spot trends, measure brand sentiment, and capture feedback in real time, adding further depth to our research.
Bringing It All Together
Each of these four pillars provides a different piece of the puzzle. Consumer research tells us what customers think, desk research provides the factual framework, trade research offers an insider’s view, and social media analysis reveals public sentiment.
Our expert analysts are skilled in weaving these diverse data streams together. They apply a range of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to uncover the deeper story, connecting the dots to deliver clear, actionable insights. This comprehensive, multi-layered process is how we transform raw data into a market intelligence report you can trust to inform your most important business decisions.
$ 4,995 (Excl.Tax)
-
Download today with instant access
Pay via credit card or invoice (net 30 payment terms)
-
Multiple formats provided
We send a PDF, Powerpoint and Excel Databook straight to your inbox. An interactive version of the report is also available on our online platform
-
Interactive databook included
Focus on the data that matters most to you with a customisable databook avaliable on our platform
-
Save up to 20% when you purchase multiple reports
Discount automatically applied in basket
Next Starts Here
Whatever your business needs, we have the solution. From market intelligence reports to customised growth strategies.
Learn moreTrusted by global industry leaders
Working in a customer-obsessed organization means that data and insights have to be at our fingertips. Mintel’s reports help us support anecdotes with real quantifiable insights. The summary sections (which I really like) helps save time by giving a birds eye view of the content before spending time combing through the pages.
Our business review discussions are strengthened by the relevancy of the reports to help us better understand our customers. In addition, the customer service received from the team (especially in crunch periods) makes the process of understanding customer behavior even better.
Ngozi Ngonadi-Nkwoji, Senior Marketing Manager, Amazon
We have such a great working relationship with Mintel on lots of different levels. As an insight partner, they have helped us to develop our business planning in specific categories as well as supporting our creative process but they’ve also been super helpful with facilitating our events in their inspirational offices near St Paul’s.
They’re an innovative company, with a client-focused team that always delivers.
Abby Carvosso, Group Managing Director, Bauer Media Group
There is no question that Mintel is the go-to resource for the best quality market research, but I did not think it was an affordable option for Abacus Marketing to consider. As a small marketing agency, we only work with a few new clients each year.
However, we have a very high-end consultative approach to our work, so we really do need a partner like Mintel to provide the big agency experience we are always aiming to deliver. Our clients come from an incredibly diverse range of industry sectors, so we obviously need access to market research reports from a very wide spectrum of marketplaces – and that is precisely what we got.
Stephen Taylor-Brown, Managing Director, Abacus
Mintel helps us when we want to know something quickly – it provides fast answers to our questions. If we need to get a view of what’s going on in a particular market it’s very useful.
When carrying out background research, I find Mintel an excellent starting point.
The fact that it covers so many markets is a big plus for me– instead of having to buy specialist products in each area we are interested in, especially when we only require a brief view on a particular market, we can go to Mintel for help as a one-stop shop. I find Mintel a useful and valuable resource.
Ben Zeidler, Director - Research and Analytics, Tenth Wave
One of the biggest challenges we face is the need to get smart on a business or category real quick.
We are talking to clients who live and breathe their category every day and the expectation is that we will be able to get caught up very quickly, and bring the thinking that can help them.
We need to do that often in a matter of days, so it’s not a small ask. Mintel gives us a very articulate view of category conditions and does so at the speed we need it.
Jeff White, Business Development Director, Deutsch
Next Starts Here
Whatever your business needs, we have the solution. From market intelligence reports to customised growth strategies.
Learn more
