Thailand's Specialty Coffee Market Sees Significant Boom in Growth – CoffeeTalk

The Thai specialty coffee segment is experiencing significant growth, with local brands increasing their presence and foreign brands entering the market. Nattiti Ampaiwan, president of the Specialty Coffee Association of Thailand (SCATH), emphasizes that small cafe operators should focus on niche offerings and swiftly adapt to emerging trends. He highlights a comprehensive expansion along Thailand’s artisanal coffee value chain, from plantations through processing to roasteries and cafes.

Farmers are transitioning from mass-market coffee production to specialty coffee, enhancing their processing methods. Projections indicate that Thailand produced around 16,000 tonnes of coffee in the 2024/2025 crop year, with specialty coffee comprising an estimated 30% of this volume. The SCATH advocates for this shift, emphasizing that specialty coffee offers higher returns per unit of land.

New “specialty everyday” cafe chains have emerged, providing craft coffee at accessible prices aimed at the mass market, with pricing starting at 60 baht. This expansion is likely to provide competition to large international brands while having minimal impact on local specialty shops. Nonetheless, pricing strategies from these chains could disrupt smaller operators if they undercut costs.

Smaller cafes possess the agility to quickly adapt and adopt niche strategies, allowing them to offer a diverse range of products from various origins and to rapidly refresh their menus. They can also create unique customer experiences through innovative store designs.

The introduction of foreign specialty brands is perceived as a boon, invigorating the market and enhancing Thailand’s coffee image. A notable example is Blue Bottle Coffee, which recently opened two stores in Bangkok, now owned by China’s Centurium Capital.

To further bolster Thailand’s standing in the global coffee scene, SCATH is collaborating with The Cloud to host Thailand Coffee Fest 2026, slated for September 10-13 at Impact Exhibition Centre. The event aims to gather over 400 operators from the coffee value chain and will feature knowledge-sharing sessions on industry trends and competitions such as the Thailand National Barista Championship 2027.

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