Coffee pods are single-served, a pre-packed coffee canister that is enough for brewing one cup of coffee and comes with its own filter. Coffee made using coffee pods saves both time and energy by simplifying the brewing process. Coffee pods are available in various quantities, flavours and additives according to the need of the consumer. The coffee pod market in South Korea is segmented into categories: the type of coffee pod, caffeine content, flavour and distribution channel.
Coffee has had a strong presence in South Korean culture and is considered one of the most popular beverages consumed in the country. According to a recent report by the Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations, 70 per cent of South Korean adults drink at least one cup of coffee every day. 12.2 per cent of respondents to the study claimed they drink coffee five to six times per week, while 8 per cent, 4 per cent, and 3 per cent stated three to four and once or twice, respectively. An average South Korean consumes 367 cups of coffee a year. The South Korean coffee market's size climbed from US$0.3 billion to more than US4.3 billion from 2007 to 2021.
Coffee pod sales in South Korea have more than doubled compared to ground coffee sales in 2020, representing a rising portion of the country's steadily expanding coffee industry. According to Emart, the biggest chain of discount stores in South Korea, the demand for coffee pods has overtaken that for ground coffee, which only holds a 33 per cent market share. High convenience and low cost associated with the use of coffee pods are one of the primary factors driving the growth of the market in this country. Korean consumers are also ready to spend money on single-serve coffee machines so they may have a cafe-like experience at home which has also boosted the demand for coffee pods in this country.
Other factors such as the growing prevalence of cafe culture, the introduction of new coffee categories, increasing disposable income, and growing consumer knowledge and experimentation with coffee are also contributing to the expansion of the coffee pod market in South Korea.
Due to coffee pods’ high demand and convenience cafes in South Korea are using coffee capsules and pods to deliver coffee to their customer. For instance, Café Italico with 20 outlets across South Korea serves coffee using coffee pods to their customers. At Café Italico Nespresso coffee pods are used to create every coffee-based beverage.
Increasing popularity of artisanal, gourmet, speciality, premium coffee pods
A growing number of Korean customers value premium, speciality coffee. Speciality coffee shops are springing up all around Seoul as customers are willing to pay a bit more for the coffee that they like. For instance, In November 2022, Terres De Café a French premium speciality coffeehouse chain is expanding its Operation In South Korea. Terres de Café has joined several other foreign companies looking to fuel the growing demand for premium coffee experiences in the country. Due to the growing demand for coffee pods and speciality coffee in the country various South Korean coffeehouses are entering the market to capitalise on this trend. ‘Holly’s Coffee’, a Korean speciality coffeehouse business, teamed with coffee machine producer Keurig to develop ‘K-cup’ capsules compatible with Keurig machines.
Market Key Developments
| Report Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Study Period | 2021 to 2031 |
| Historical Data | 2021 to 2024 |
| Base Year | 2025 |
| Forecast Period | 2026 – 2031 |
| Report Metric | Details |
| Growth Rate | CAGR during the forecast period |
| Base Year | 2021 |
| Forecast Period | 2023 – 2028 |
| Forecast Unit (Value) | USD Billion |
| Segments Covered | Type, Caffeine Content, Flavour, and Distribution Channel |
| Companies Covered | Caffè Bene, Starbucks Korea, Lotte Group, CJ CheilJedang Corp., Namyang Dairy Products Co., Nestle Korea Ltd., Dongsuh Foods Corporation |
| Customization Scope | Free report customization with purchase |
Segmentation: