A new report commissioned by the European Coffee Federation (ECF) has quantified the coffee sector's substantial economic footprint in the European Union. According to the study, the industry directly contributes €191.5 billion in economic output and supports approximately 1.5 million full-time equivalent jobs across the 27 member states.
The report, titled “The Economic Impact of Coffee in Europe,” also examines the sector's wider influence. When including the United Kingdom, Norway, and Switzerland (the EU+ region), direct output rises to €221.6 billion. The study further calculates a "total footprint," which includes supplier and induced spending effects, estimating the sector's full contribution to the EU27 economy at €494.3 billion in output and 3.8 million jobs. For every euro of green coffee imported, the report estimates that €11.20 of direct European output is generated.
A significant finding for the industry is the value distribution between at-home and out-of-home consumption. While at-home consumption accounts for a larger volume of coffee at 1.49 million tonnes, the out-of-home hospitality sector generates a vastly disproportionate share of the economic value. The report attributes €161.5 billion in output and 1.3 million jobs—nearly 88% of the sector's total employment—to out-of-home consumption, highlighting the high service value added in cafes and restaurants.