According to the Coffee Finance Network, the Specialty Coffee Association of Thailand (SCATH) estimates that the size of Thailand’s specialty coffee market could be as high as 2 billion baht, but currently it accounts for only 2% of Thailand’s total coffee market of 100 billion baht. In the future, there is a bright opportunity.
The association said that compared to neighboring countries (such as Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar), the cost of producing coffee beans in Thailand is quite high, making ordinary coffee uncompetitive. Therefore, developing specialty coffee may be a good option, as the price of specialty coffee is 60% higher than ordinary coffee. It hopes that the association’s members, including growers, exporters and coffee shop owners, will work together to develop and support specialty coffee and improve the country’s competitiveness in the market.
The association is currently working with the Thai Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to develop coffee varieties, raise awareness of specialty coffee and disseminate knowledge to farmers.
The association also said that the number of specialty coffee shops and baristas in Thailand has grown by at least 25% each year. This growth is driven by changing consumer behavior and the expansion of large operators into the specialty coffee market.
