#Japan #Tokyo #Specialty Coffee #Labo Cafe #Coffee Trends

Insights into Japan's Coffee Bean Market for 2025

As the coffee market continues to thrive, fueled by the popularity of specialty coffee and home-roasting services, consumers are faced with an overwhelming array of options. In light of this, the Coffee Bean Research Institute has published a report analyzing real purchase data to reveal the most popular coffee beans among Japanese consumers for the first half of 2025.

Background: The Demand for Real Purchase Data

With the coffee market expanding annually, more consumers are eager to know which beans are genuinely popular and what they should be choosing. Our media platform, with its over 600,000 monthly page views, has leveraged its data to help both consumers and industry professionals alike.

Comprehensive Coffee Bean Ranking for the First Half of 2025

Between January 1 and June 30, 2025, we collected data from over 10,000 purchases made through the Coffee Bean Research Institute. The demographics largely included consumers in their 20s to 50s. The following is the ranking in terms of total sales:

1. Labo Cafe Subscription (Specialty Blend): A self-developed D2C subscription service that has established a solid customer retention model.
2. Coffee Carrot - Guatemala Santa Caterina: Known for its direct roasting freshness and floral flavors that have garnered significant attention on social media, with 25% of purchases for gifting.
3. Doi Coffee - Small Roaster Series: This series combines micro-lots and dark roasting to highlight classic roasted flavors, appealing strongly to middle-aged and senior customers who buy in bulk.
4. Coffee Soldier - First Trial Set: This affordable set allows consumers to sample two types of specialty beans, effectively introducing them to high-quality coffee and generating repeat purchases.
5. Post Coffee Subscription: This personalized delivery service, driven by a diagnostic test, has enjoyed substantial growth, especially with a campaign to attract new customers.
6. Blue Bottle - Bella Donovan: Combining gift demand with brand strength, this coffee balances fruitiness and roastiness.
7. Sarutahiko Coffee - Ebisu City: This well-balanced medium roast features a wonderful mix of bitterness, acidity, and sweetness.
8. Maruyama Coffee - Seasonal Limited Single Origin Set: Story-based seasonal offerings have proven popular on social media.
9. Sawai Coffee - Economical Blend 1kg (Yakumo Blend): Targeting cost-conscious customers, this blend has gained traction for bulk purchases.
10. Starbucks - Kenya: With high brand recognition and unique beans, this coffee maintains a loyal customer base.

Key Insights from the Rankings

The data clearly indicates dominant subscription models in the market.

• - Subscription Dominance: Labo Cafe and Post Coffee together account for over 20% of total sales, showing that retention strategies are directly linked to customer lifetime value (LTV).
• - Freshness and Storytelling Drive Purchases: Smaller roasters like Coffee Carrot and Doi Coffee thrive by promoting their unique stories alongside their product's quality.
• - High-End Experiences: While average prices are rising, consumers are willing to invest in rare lots, as seen with Coffee Soldier's Geisha beans achieving a repeat rate of 22% despite their premium pricing.

Category-Specific Rankings

To further understand consumer behavior, we break down the top products by category:

• - Specialty Coffee: Coffee Soldier’s trial set stands out, providing a unique tasting experience at an affordable price. Other brands also offer rich flavors and compelling stories.
• - Subscription Services: Both Labo Cafe and Post Coffee shine with their personalized offerings, meeting consumer demands with high-quality beans delivered regularly.
• - Cost Performance: Budget-conscious consumers prefer brands that maintain quality without compromising on price, leading to a noticeable rise in bulk purchases.

Emerging Trends from Purchase Data

Delving deeper into the data reveals three significant trends:
1. Rise of Subscription Usage: The rate of subscription services has increased by approximately 45% year-on-year, particularly among young consumers aged 20-30.
2. Preference for Whole Beans: A notable shift towards purchasing beans instead of ground coffee, with a 30% increase year-on-year due to more at-home brewing tools.
3. Shift to Light and Medium Roasts: A marked transition from dark roasted to more acidic and fruity light and medium roasts, seeing a growth spurt of about 25% in purchases.

Future Plans and Action Items

Taking these findings into account, the Coffee Bean Research Institute plans to:

• - Conduct special interviews with brands and roasters and share findings through various media.
• - Create a dedicated purchase page to simplify consumer buying based on the published rankings.
• - Initiate a special campaign for Labo Cafe’s subscription service as a celebration of their ranking as the top seller.

Through these actions, we aim not only to assist consumers but also to provide valuable insights for marketing and product development within the industry.

About Coffee Bean Research Institute

As one of Japan's largest coffee information platforms, we are devoted to sharing insights that enhance the coffee experience, from bean sourcing to brewing tips. For more details, check our social media: X, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and LINE.