What Breville’s Record Sales Mean for Café Owners
Breville’s latest results offer an interesting signal for café owners: the global appetite for better coffee isn’t slowing down – it’s changing shape.
The Australian appliance giant has delivered record sales of $1.81 billion, with its four newest markets – China, the Middle East, Mexico and Korea – collectively growing by more than 70%. China has been particularly impressive, with sales increasing more than sevenfold after Breville moved to direct operations.
For cafés, the bigger story isn’t about competing with home coffee machines. It’s about recognising where and how consumers are choosing to drink their coffee.
As Phillip Di Bella puts it:
“My theory is that people will still drink coffee, but they’ll drink more of it at home or in the office because they can’t afford to have two or more coffees in the café.”
That’s an important distinction. Coffee consumption may remain strong, but the location of consumption can change when household budgets tighten.
For café owners, this creates an opportunity. Rather than competing purely on price, look at where you can add value – better coffee, stronger presentation, premium ingredients, signature drinks and experiences customers can’t easily recreate at home.
And there’s another opportunity worth considering: retail.
Don’t just serve the coffee – sell it. Create your own retail offering and give customers a reason to take your brand home with them. Whether it’s your own coffee blend, cold brew, merchandise or signature products, retail can extend your brand beyond the four walls of your café and create an additional revenue stream.
The lesson? Don’t race to the bottom. Give customers a reason to trade up – and give them a reason to take your brand home.
Contact Coffee Alliance to explore your own brand options. https://www.coffeealliance.com.au/