New café growth opportunities revealed – BeanScene

While overall café visitation has softened slightly according to the Australia’s Daily Brew 2026 report, the data suggests a pair of levers venues can pull to help them create new revenue opportunities.

The report has defined online ordering and matcha beverages as two of the strongest growth areas within the café industry.

Matcha emerged as the standout performer in the data reviewed by Hey You and Westpac. Orders for matcha drinks increased 133 per cent year-on-year to June 2026, making it the fastest-growing product category tracked in the report.

Online transactions may have only accounted for seven per cent of sales in the period, but it was the only channel to record year-on-year growth in the report, increasing 4.1 per cent.

While in-person transactions still represent 93 per cent of spending, online orders were found to have an average value of $47, compared to $17 for in-person ordering.

This suggests online sales may be being driven by group orders rather than individual coffee purchases.

The growth comes despite a broader decline in café transactions nationally. Overall spending fell 1.4 per cent year-on-year and transaction volumes declined 2.6 per cent,

According to the report, the combination of growing online demand and significantly higher basket values presents a disproportionate opportunity for operators looking to boost revenue without relying solely on foot traffic.

The findings suggest investments in pre-ordering, mobile ordering, and workplace-focused offerings could help cafés capture additional spend while improving service speed and customer convenience.