• In response to Challenge Café Spain 2025, the Spanish branded espresso store market recorded its third consecutive 12 months of internet outlet progress throughout the 12 months ended April 2025, with year-on-year progress of three% to 2,215 shops.
• Spain has surpassed Poland to turn out to be Europe’s seventh-largest branded espresso store market, but it surely’s among the many few European nations that aren’t but saturated with specialty espresso outlets and roasters.
• In contrast to different European nations that embraced specialty espresso tradition within the early 2000s, Spain did so extra lately, and it’s now residence to internationally-renowned roasters.
• Specialty espresso tradition will proceed to realize prominence alongside conventional espresso choices, culminating in a singular market.

Spain has an extended historical past with espresso, however its adoption of specialty espresso tradition is rather more current than its European neighbours.

Historically, “torrefacto” – when sugar was added throughout the ultimate levels of roasting – meant most individuals drank darkish, bitter espresso. At the moment, nevertheless, customers choose higher-quality choices that showcase terroir and flavour.

World Espresso Portal analysis signifies that just about three-quarters of the nation’s espresso store guests surveyed reported that premium drinks are integral to the perfect café expertise.

Like different southern European nations, Spain’s relaxed tempo of life is fostering a thriving, conscious specialty espresso market, the place progress is gradual but steadily being woven into each day life.

I spoke with Francisco Gonzalez at Nomad Espresso, Sergio Robles at Cafés My Manner, and César Ramírez of CoffeeFest Madrid to search out out extra.

You might also like our article on how specialty espresso tradition is altering in France.

A historical past of espresso in Spain

Spain’s historical past of espresso consumption dates to the 18th century, considerably later than that of its European neighbours. The primary espresso home is alleged to have opened in Madrid in 1765.

Within the early twentieth century, the espresso market expanded because of mass manufacturing and elevated worldwide commerce. Nevertheless, the Spanish Civil Conflict, which occurred between 1936 and 1939, stored espresso imports and consumption low.

It was additionally throughout this time that torrefaction emerged. That is the apply of including sugar throughout the ultimate levels of roasting, which coats the beans, will increase their weight, and slows down oxidation. Visually, including sugar imparts a shiny, black coating to roasted espresso and leads to a darkish, bitter style, in the end resulting in perceived high quality points.

“It lingers extra as a cultural behavior than a necessity. It started with a sensible function, gained traction within the early twentieth century, and, within the post-war years, helped protect espresso and masks defects when provide was scarce,” says Sergio, the co-founder and CEO of Spanish specialty espresso roaster Cafés My Manner.

“My sense is that youthful generations (extra curious and open to totally different flavour profiles) will lastly push it into the background,” he provides. “I don’t deny its historic worth, however in my expertise, as soon as somebody tastes a well-roasted espresso and understands what’s within the cup, they not often return.”

Though torrefacto has disappeared from most cafés, many grocery store espresso blends nonetheless use these beans. Inevitably, this has impeded the expansion of specialty espresso tradition in Spain. In consequence, individuals’s style tends to adapt extra slowly to high-quality specialty espresso.

“It has slowed our progress in comparison with different nations, however with endurance, communication, and serving nice espresso, we’ve managed to develop considerably over the previous few years,” says Francisco, the pinnacle of espresso and co-owner of Nomad Espresso, a specialty espresso roaster in Barcelona.

At the moment, conventional and specialty espresso consumption co-exist in Spain. 

“The nation at the moment brings collectively legacy espresso kinds from the Seventies (torrefacto robusta), arabica espresso, and specialty espresso,” says César, the proprietor of NEODRINKS, which organises CoffeeFest Madrid. “Availability relies upon primarily on the kind of institution and the buyer’s degree of training and consciousness.

“Capsules proceed to dominate at-home consumption, though small specialty roasters are starting to work with capsule codecs, adapting them to higher-quality requirements.”

Sergio agrees, saying: “The standard majority stays robust: capsules account for roughly 60% of retail worth, non-public label sits round 43%, and torrefacto nonetheless makes up about 12.5% of consumption.

“Nevertheless, extra individuals are getting ready entire bean at residence, the variety of micro-roasters is rising, and there may be larger demand for origin and traceability.”

Specialty espresso tradition emerges in Spain

Spain’s deeply ingrained espresso tradition helps each homegrown and worldwide specialty espresso manufacturers thrive.

In response to the World Espresso Portal’s Challenge Café Spain 2025 report, 80% of Spanish customers surveyed drink sizzling espresso each day, and over 90% drink it not less than as soon as per week.

“On the bar, espresso and its offshoots rule: café con leche, cortado, solo. And there’s a distinctly Spanish trait: out-of-home consumption is among the many strongest in Europe,” Sergio tells me.

The Challenge Café Spain 2025 report additionally reveals that 83% of Spanish customers surveyed ordered from an unbiased espresso store within the final 12 months, with one in seven doing so on their most up-to-date go to.

Over the past decade, specialty espresso has moved from a distinct segment to a extra seen class.

“It first took off in Madrid and Barcelona, and now the momentum is evident in Valencia, Andalusia, and Galicia,” says Sergio.

The rising specialty scene first took maintain round 2014. The variety of cafés doubled; the primary nationwide AeroPress Championship was held; and the 2015 Spanish Espresso Competition was introduced in partnership with SCAE Spain. In 2016, Carlos Zavala received Spain’s first nationwide AeroPress Championship title, additional cementing specialty espresso’s presence out there.

“It was after the pandemic that market acceptance accelerated noticeably,” César says. “This progress turned exponential with the launch of CoffeeFest Spain in 2023, which considerably elevated visibility and shopper consciousness. To me, the occasion is proof that specialty espresso generally is a true driver of change within the trade.”

Francisco says: “Twelve years in the past, when Nomad first opened its doorways, we offered round seven or eight coffees a day. However by constant communication and by serving distinctive coffees, individuals started to grasp that specialty espresso is way superior to industrial or torrefacto espresso.

“As soon as they tried it, they couldn’t return to low-quality espresso,” he provides. “We’re nonetheless engaged on that mission, however after twelve years, I feel we’re in an excellent second for specialty espresso in Spain.”

Given its proximity to main coffee-consuming nations equivalent to Italy and France, Spain’s espresso tradition has typically been missed. Nevertheless, this has allowed Spain to carve out its personal path within the specialty espresso trade.

“I feel we’ve performed, and are doing, a superb job, not solely Nomad however all specialty roasters throughout the nation,” Francisco says. “I consider we are able to now evaluate ourselves to the pioneers on this area – Australia, the UK, and the Nordic nations.”

Actually, it has a bonus over different European nations. A particular characteristic of Spain’s espresso market is its Spanish-language connection to espresso origins in Latin America.

“For us, it’s a lot simpler to attach immediately with producers and construct long-term industrial and private relationships,” Sergio explains. “Talking the identical language makes all the things smoother, and culturally we additionally share many similarities.”

What does the long run maintain?

Regardless of a slower begin, Spain’s specialty espresso market seems promising, notably as worldwide branded shops develop within the nation.

Spain’s three largest branded chains all expanded their respective networks by double digits during the last 12 months ended April 2025, with market chief McCafé opening 28 internet new shops to achieve 539 shops.

Moreover, US espresso big Starbucks added 17 new websites, bringing its complete to 181, whereas premium home chain Santagloria opened 34 internet new shops, bringing its complete to 165 areas. 

UK espresso and food-to-go chain Pret A Manger plans to open 70 shops throughout Spain and Portugal by 2033. Colombia’s Juan Valdez, which at the moment operates 9 shops in Madrid, additionally views Spain as a key worldwide progress market and, in March 2025, shaped a €40m (US$43mn) three way partnership with Grupo Trinity to open 140 new shops by 2032.

“These days, when a brand new café opens, high quality is already a precedence, so our market will maintain increasing,” Francisco says. “We’ll see extra specialty espresso outlets and roasters with robust manufacturers rising internationally.”

Spain’s thriving tourism trade additionally positions it strongly. TimeOut ranked Barcelona because the most-booked trip vacation spot globally in 2025, adopted by Paris, Mallorca, and Madrid. With Spain on observe to overhaul France because the world’s most visited vacation spot, the nation’s specialty espresso market will continue to grow. Japanese specialty espresso group %Arabica has outlined plans to open areas in Spain, capitalising on document vacationer footfall.

“Spain is giant and price-sensitive, however premium merchandise are rising: extra entire bean, higher cups, and extra chilly drinks,” Sergio says. “Our management in decaf and the power of out-of-home consumption create alternatives that differ from different EU nations.

“By combining comprehensible high quality, cheap pricing, and verifiable belief, specialty will win (and maintain) the shopper,” he provides. “Chains will maintain opening as a result of demand is there, however the winners will probably be those who clearly clarify what you’re consuming and preserve consistency throughout areas.”

Nevertheless, roasters and café house owners additionally face vital challenges because of excessive inexperienced espresso costs and broader volatility, as rising demand continues to pressure market dynamics.

“The value of a cup of espresso will enhance, and each cafés and roasters might want to add further worth in order that prospects gladly settle for that rise,” Francisco says.

César says: “The market nonetheless provides appreciable room for progress, largely depending on cultural habits and shopper training. Progress will come from bettering high quality requirements in conventional hospitality and inspiring a transition at residence from capsule machines to super-automatic machines and entire bean espresso.

“Educating customers is important, notably by normalising filter brewing strategies, which are perfect for absolutely appreciating specialty coffees,” he provides. “At CoffeeFest Madrid, we additionally tackle this accountability, leveraging the occasion’s visibility to carry specialty espresso nearer to the broader market.”

As specialty espresso tradition experiences a “gradual bloom” in Spain, the query arises: how will the nation’s espresso market evolve within the years forward?

“What we maintain seeing, repeatedly, is that if prospects perceive what they’re consuming and don’t really feel punished on value, they arrive again,” Sergio concludes. “Much less noise and extra readability normally promote extra.”

Loved this? Then learn our article about recognising one of the best roasters in Europe.

Picture credit: Cafés My Manner, Nomad Espresso

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