The Swiss Coffee Sector

Switzerland is a significant player in the global coffee industry, importing substantial amounts of green coffee beans, roasting them domestically, and exporting the finished products.

According to the Swiss Procafé Association, Switzerland imported 186,323 tonnes of green coffee in 2023. Green coffee refers to raw coffee beans that have been processed and dried but not yet roasted.

Switzerland roasts and re-exports most of its imported coffee, exporting around 107,000 tonnes, making it Europe’s third-largest roasted coffee exporter by volume. It is also the world’s top exporter by value, with roasted coffee exports worth nearly CHF 3.5 billion, and plays a key role in exporting high-quality roasted and soluble coffee.

Switzerland plays a pivotal role as a global hub for coffee processing and trade, with many of the leading coffee roasters and traders based in the country: six of the world's most important traders are based in Switzerland. According to the Swiss Coffee Trade Association (SCTA) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), Switzerland is the world's largest coffee trading hub, handling over 50% of the total volume of globally traded coffee.

When it comes to coffee consumption, Switzerland ranks among the 10 top coffee-consuming nations globally. According to Procafé, in 2023, coffee consumption was around 80,000 tonnes, corresponding to a per capita consumption of approximately 9 kilograms per year.