The German coffee market relies heavily on imports from other countries, as Germany does not grow coffee domestically. Based on import volume figures, Brazil was the leading source country for Germany, with over 422 thousand tons of coffee delivered in 2022. Other leading supplier markets included Vietnam and Honduras. An encouraging rise in sales of fair trade coffee in Germany, with recent figures far outstripping those of even a few years ago, may be due to several reasons. Increasing consumer attention to how coffee is being produced, as well as the desire to contribute to fair manufacturing and industry employment conditions in importing countries are among the leading influences boosting fair trade coffee sales. These influences are also part of a broader trend of sustainable consumption in Germany.
A defining feature of the German coffee market is the sheer selection of coffee and coffee-flavored drinks available, whether in food retail establishments or in restaurants and cafes. The first coffee shop chain that comes to mind is Starbucks, a global market leader, though not as widespread in Germany as in other European countries. In fact, Germany was behind France, Turkey and the United Kingdom. While consumers themselves employ a variety of methods to prepare their brew, the most preferred are making filter coffee and using fully automated coffee machines.
