Report Summary
“In 2022, the COVID outbreak has slowed the growth of RTD coffee. However, the future outlook is optimistic thanks to the evolving coffee culture and expanding consumption occasions. As consumers are trending towards healthy lifestyles, RTD coffee innovation should balance health and indulgence. In the ever-competitive coffee market, brands could put young generations as a strategic focus by providing bolder product formats and investing in value-matched market communication.”
– Marta Zhang, Senior Research Analyst
Key Issues covered in this Report
- Market overview and growth prospect of RTD coffee
- New product launches and market activities
- Consumption usage of different coffee types and flavour preference of RTD coffee products
- Reasons for not selecting RTD coffee
- Brand health analysis and price sensitivity of RTD coffee products
Table of Contents
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Overview
- What you need to know
- Key Issues covered in this Report
- Covered in this Report
- What you need to know
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Executive Summary
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- The market
- COVID outbreak hinders the growth in 2022, while the future outlook is optimistic
- Figure 1: Retail market value of RTD coffee, China, 2017-27
- Figure 2: Retail market volume of RTD coffee, China, 2017-27
- Companies and brands
- Nestlé keeps the leading position while emerging brands show growth potential
- Figure 3: Market share, by leading RTD coffee players, by value, China, 2020-22
- Pursuit of health is shaping the direction of RTD coffee market development
- The consumer
- Coffee drinking cohort expands, while young generation maintains low consumption
- Figure 4: Consumption Usage, China, 2022
- Clean label RTD coffee is the breakthrough point
- Figure 5: Reasons For Not Drinking RTD Coffee, China, 2022
- Space is large for premiumisation if quality is justified
- Figure 6: Price sensitivity – optimal price, 2022
- Unflavoured yes, indulgence potential
- Figure 7: Flavour Preference, China, 2022
- Target young consumers for brand awareness to purchase conversion
- Figure 8: Brand awareness and penetration, China, 2022
- Trustworthy and authentic taste drives purchase
- Figure 9: Brand perception, China, 2022
- What we think
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Issues and Insights
- Offer permissible indulgence to alleviate consumers’ health concern
- The facts
- The implications
- Figure 10: Examples of RTD coffee with naturally sweet flavours, Global
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- Figure 11: Examples of RTD drinks with packaging communication of health, Global
- Covert RTD coffee as a medium of lifestyle advocate
- The facts
- The implications
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- Figure 12: Coffee brands collaborate with trendy sports, China, 2022
- Expand the scope of RTD coffee through bolder format
- The facts
- The implications
- Figure 13: examples of coffee products with innovative formats, Global
- Offer permissible indulgence to alleviate consumers’ health concern
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Market Size and Forecast
- COVID outbreak impedes the growth in 2022, while the recovery is fast
- Figure 14: Retail market value of RTD coffee, China, 2017-27
- Figure 15: Retail market volume of RTD coffee, China, 2017-27
- Premiumised RTD coffee products drive retail sales
- COVID outbreak impedes the growth in 2022, while the recovery is fast
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Market Factors
- Consumption purpose for coffee expands
- Figure 16: Examples of coffee functional benefits communication on social media, China, 2022
- Influence from COVID: new demands of convenience emerge
- Evolving coffee culture in China: pros and cons for RTD coffee
- Pros: Escalating coffee consumption
- Figure 17: Total market volume consumption per capita of coffee, by selected markets, 2020
- Pros: Sophistication is gaining significance
- Cons: Instant coffee as the starting point
- Cons: Novel coffee formats pose a threat to RTD coffee
- Price increase in coffee beans and packaging materials
- Consumption purpose for coffee expands
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Market Share
- Nestlé keeps the leading position in the RTD coffee market
- Figure 18: Market share, by leading RTD coffee players, by value, China, 2020-22
- New RTD coffee players are showing growth potential
- Nestlé keeps the leading position in the RTD coffee market
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Marketing Activities
- Key brands revamp their products to ‘better for you’ versions
- Figure 19: Examples of RTD coffee new products with minus claims, China, 2021-22
- Promote healthy lifestyle via collaboration with sports industry
- Figure 20: Ways to get de-stress – exercising, China, 2020-22
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- Figure 21: RTD coffee brands collaborate with sports industry, China, 2021-22
- Embracing cultural elements in marketing communications
- Figure 22: Marketing activities launched by RTD coffee brands. China, 2022
- Key brands revamp their products to ‘better for you’ versions
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New Product Trends
- Plant-based products are on the rise
- Figure 23: Examples of plant based RTD coffee products, China, 2022
- Functional products emerge from the market
- Figure 24: Examples of functional RTD coffee products, China
- Flavour innovation is being creative
- Figure 25: Examples of RTD coffee products with innovative flavours, China, 2021-22
- Figure 26: Percentage of new product launches, by claims, China, 2017-22
- Global trend: Effort on sustainability is highlighted
- Figure 27: Percentage of new product launches, by claim category, Global, 2017-22
- Figure 28: Top five ethical and environmental claims among new product launches, Global, 2017-22
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- Figure 29: RTD coffee with sustainability claims, Global, 2022
- Figure 30: Percentage of new product launches, by claim category, China, 2017-22
- Plant-based products are on the rise
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Consumption Usage
- The coffee drinking cohort is expanding
- Figure 31: Consumption Usage, China, 2022
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- Figure 32: Consumption Usage – Change between 2021 and 2022, China, 2021-22
- Young generation maintains currently low consumption
- Figure 33: Consumption Usage – by age group, China, 2022
- Milk coffee dominants, but black coffee is gaining preference
- Figure 34: Drink Selection, China, 2022
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- Figure 35: Examples of RTD coffee with different sugar level selections, Japan, 2022
- Cold brew and plant-based RTDs are preferred by high income owners
- Figure 36: Drink Selection – by monthly personal income, China, 2022
- The coffee drinking cohort is expanding
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Reasons For Not Drinking RTD Coffee
- Clean label RTD coffee is the breakthrough point
- Figure 37: Reasons For Not Drinking RTD Coffee, China, 2022
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- Figure 38: Reasons For Not Drinking RTD Coffee – only freshly made coffee drinkers, China, 2022
- Not hot – the barrier for convenience seekers
- Figure 39: Reasons for not drinking RTD coffee – Not hot beverages, China, 2022
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- Figure 40: Examples of RTD tea or coffee with self-heating format, Global, 2022
- Win over larger cohort via highlighting the effort on sugar reduction
- Figure 41: Reasons for not drinking RTD coffee – too sweet, China, 2022
- Clean label RTD coffee is the breakthrough point
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Price Sensitivity
- The optimal price for RTD coffee is RMB10
- Figure 42: Price sensitivity – optimal price, 2022
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- Figure 43: Price sensitivity – optimal price, 2022
- Stable financial status in uncertain times leads to less price sensitivity
- Figure 44: Price sensitivity, by company type, China, 2022
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- Figure 45: Financial status – better off, by company type, China, 2022
- Ample scope for premiumisation if quality is justified
- Figure 46: Comparison of average price of the best sellers, optimal price and average price of new launches (250ml), China, 2022
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- Figure 47: Bernachon Coffee Premium, China, 2022
- The optimal price for RTD coffee is RMB10
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Flavour Preference
- Demand for pure coffee surpasses flavoured coffee
- Figure 48: Flavour Preference, China, 2022
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- Figure 49: Flavour Preference – by gender, China, 2022
- Flavour preference varies among black and milk coffee drinkers
- Figure 50: Flavour Preference – by different RTD coffee selection, China, 2022
- Novel opportunities for flavoured RTD coffee drinkers
- Figure 51: Flavour Preference – Flavoured coffee drinkers vs Total, China, 2022
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- Figure 52: Examples of RTD coffee products with innovative flavours, Global, 2022
- Demand for pure coffee surpasses flavoured coffee
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Brand Awareness and Penetration
- Room for brand to convert awareness to purchase is large
- Figure 53: Brand awareness and penetration, China, 2022
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- Figure 54: Brand awareness and penetration – have drunk in the last 3 months, by generation, China, 2022
- Figure 55: Brand awareness and penetration – Not aware of the brand, by generation, China, 2022
- High income consumers have a wider brand purchase portfolio
- Figure 56: Brand awareness and penetration – Have purchased, by monthly personal income, China, 2022
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- Figure 57: Brand awareness and penetration – Aware but haven’t drunk, by city tier, China, 2022
- Room for brand to convert awareness to purchase is large
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Brand Perception
- Trustworthy and authentic taste drives purchase
- Figure 58: Brand perception – Brand image, China, 2022
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- Figure 59: Brand perception – Purchase factors, China, 2022
- Coffee in general is not perceived as premium any more
- Figure 60: Brand perception, China, 2017-22
- On-premise coffee brands gain professional image
- Figure 61: Brand perception – selected factors, China, 2022
- Trustworthy and authentic taste drives purchase
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Food Persona
- Who are they?
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- Figure 62: Food Persona, China, 2022
- Figure 63: Food Persona, by generation, China, 2022
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- Figure 64: Food Persona, by monthly personal income, China, 2022
- Critical shoppers exhibit wider interest in coffee types…
- Figure 65: Food Persona – Drink selection, China, 2022
- … they also show higher interest in Japanese brands
- Figure 66: Food Persona – Brand penetration, China, 2022
- Who are they?
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Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Figure 67: Retail volume sales and forecast of RTD coffee, China, 2017-27
- Figure 68: Retail value sales and forecast of RTD coffee, China, 2017-27
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Appendix – Methodology and Abbreviations
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
- Methodology
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