Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Key takeaways
- Emerging markets are driving the next wave of specialty coffee growth.
- Baristas need ergonomic, reliable equipment to meet rising consumer expectations.
- Toffin distributes Officine Allegra machines in Indonesia, now the world’s fifth-largest coffee consumer.
- Equipment access alone is insufficient; training and service support are essential.
In many markets worldwide, including coffee-producing countries, specialty coffee consumption is growing rapidly. Revenue from India’s cafés is rising at nearly twice the pace of that of its North American counterparts, while Indonesia’s coffee consumption has tripled since the pandemic – putting it on track to overtake Japan, a country with a sophisticated coffee culture.
This shift in coffee consumption habits is significant. Historically, much of the coffee Indonesians drank, for example, was lower-quality robusta, typically roasted dark to mask overly bitter flavours. But with Indonesia posting its fastest economic growth in the last three years, demand for higher-quality coffee is rising quickly.
This explosive growth demonstrates how passion, creativity, and enthusiasm remain powerful competitive tools in emerging markets. But ambition alone can’t prepare great coffee; access to new, advanced equipment is often the driving force.
“Ten years ago, most café owners just asked, ‘How much does the machine cost?’,” says Ario Fajar, VP of Marketing at Toffin Indonesia. “But today, they ask about temperature stability, value for money product, service response time, and the company behind the brand. They see the machine as a long-term investment, not just an expense.”
You may also like our article on why Indonesia’s specialty coffee market is thriving.
Equipment is the backbone of emerging specialty coffee markets
High-quality coffee equipment, most notably espresso machines and grinders, serves a vital purpose in cafés around the world. Superior performance and intuitive features, like thermal stability and zero-retention burrs, maintain coffee quality and support barista workflow. Eye-catching machines also serve as the centrepiece of a coffee shop, signalling high standards and drawing customers in.
But in emerging markets where interest in specialty coffee is exploding, espresso machines and grinders play an even more crucial role. Historically, access to advanced equipment was restricted in many of these countries, hindering coffee quality and service. With high-performing equipment becoming more accessible, cafés in emerging markets have the infrastructure to grow specialty coffee consumption at scale.
Indonesia perhaps demonstrates this better than anywhere else. The country is now the world’s fifth-largest coffee consumer, and growth shows no signs of slowing. According to data from the USDA, Indonesia’s 2024/25 coffee consumption was predicted to rise by 10,000 60kg bags to 4.8 million in total, as both branded and specialty coffee shops and roasters offer consumers more choice than ever before.
“Indonesia’s coffee market is arriving at the top in terms of quality and technology,” says Alex Nuvoli, co-founder and CEO of Officine Allegra. “But when you arrive at the top, the entry-level market tries to reach the same standards. That’s when cafés need equipment manufacturers that stay close to the barista and support long-term business growth.”
But coffee shops need more than equipment alone
While reliable and consistent espresso machines and grinders serve as the foundation for any successful specialty coffee shop, business owners and baristas in emerging markets often need ongoing support.
Serving more than 50,000 customers across Indonesia, Toffin has become one of the country’s leading suppliers of coffee, ingredients, and equipment, supporting the domestic specialty coffee boom. The company now distributes Officine Allegra, an Italian-made espresso machine brand designed to meet the needs of café owners and baristas.
“We learned that a great machine is not enough,” says Ario. “What customers need is a full package, not only the machine itself, but fast service, reliability, spare parts, barista training, and menu development. When we asked ourselves what our customers needed that they couldn’t get from the global market, the answer was Officine Allegra.”
The espresso machine brand currently operates more than 22 locations in Indonesia alone and plans to expand to more than 10 international branches within five years, including in Vietnam, Mexico, and the UK.
Meeting the needs of baristas in emerging markets
As emerging specialty coffee markets like Indonesia continue to grow at pace, the demands placed on baristas increase. Exposure to higher-quality coffee means consumers have higher expectations for quality and service, and baristas need equipment that supports this.
“Quality is mandatory, not a target,” Alex explains. “Today, all cafés need high-performing machines to support staff and create exceptional experiences for customers.”
Officine Allegra espresso machines, for instance, are manufactured in small batches in Milan to prioritise consistency, material quality, and long-term reliability. The machines are designed to support baristas across a range of skill sets, from less experienced staff to competitors.
“My first encounter with Officine Allegra machines was helping a friend compete, conducting repeated dialling sessions under time pressure,” says Kelvin Deviro, Brand Ambassador for Officine Allegra Indonesia and a barista competitor. “The machine delivered the exact results we wanted to achieve, shot after shot.”
The flagship Lume, Dinamica, and Dinamica Pro Duo espresso machines include a range of features that help baristas perform consistently, including a thermal stability function, adjustable heights, and cool-touch steam wands.
“All young baristas, especially during busy hours, unconsciously touch the hot parts of the machine,” Kelvin says. “The cool-touch steam wand really helps lower the risk of injury.”
The quick-opening valve, meanwhile, allows baristas to steam milk quickly without sacrificing texture or quality. This is critical during busy periods when speed and consistency must coexist.
Café spaces in mind
At current growth rates of around 5% a year, Indonesia is Asia’s fastest-growing coffee-consuming market, projected to reach US$12.6bn in value by 2030. Coffee shops of all sizes are opening, which means equipment must be designed with smaller cafés in mind.
As Alex explains, rising real estate costs mean that many coffee shops in cities from London to Jakarta are working within far tighter footprints than a decade ago. “The specialty coffee market needs double boiler technology and temperature control, but in a small dimension. With Officine Allegra machines, even if you have 25 or 30 square meters of space, you can still deliver the best quality coffee to your customers.”
The adjustable foot on Officine Allegra machines is another ergonomic feature, allowing proper levelling on uneven surfaces, which is a practical necessity for cafés operating across the diverse physical environments of emerging markets, from converted shophouses to open-air spaces.
For baristas in Indonesia and beyond, ergonomic features are helping coffee quality become more accessible. “Officine Allegra machines simplify the training process so that baristas can focus on the technical parts of extraction and understand the coffee more deeply.”
The specialty coffee markets of Indonesia, India, and beyond are not slowing down. As consumers develop more discerning tastes and café owners raise their standards, the infrastructure supporting that growth must keep pace.
Equipment built for precision, ergonomics, and reliability is now a baseline requirement. Equally, the partnerships among manufacturers, distributors, and baristas translate great equipment into consistently great coffee.
Enjoyed this? Then read our article on why roasters should look to emerging markets for inspiration.
Photo credits: Officine Allegra
Perfect Daily Grind
Please note: Officine Allegra is a sponsor of Perfect Daily Grind.
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