For most of modern coffee history, the commercial equipment world has been shaped by a familiar set of countries.
Italy has long been the true home of espresso machinery, whilst other European nations have been at the forefront of convenience and automation-focused machines in recent years.
For decades, if you wanted serious coffee equipment, you would be looking at a small number of iconic European brands and, more recently, the US. But a new shift is underway.
Over the last few years and especially in 2025, Chinese manufacturers have started moving beyond supplying internal components and have begun producing and exporting fully built commercial coffee machines of their own: from bean to cup systems and espresso machines, to grinders, milk technology, and barista tools.
It’s still early, but 2026 is shaping up to be a significant year for the commercial coffee equipment market, and China is quickly positioning itself as a disruptive new player.
Europe's Long Reign
To understand why this shift matters, it’s worth looking at how firmly Europe has dominated the commercial coffee machine world for the last few decades.
Italy, in particular, has played an unmatched role in shaping espresso culture globally. Some of the most iconic machines in the specialty coffee world are Italian-built, with designs and engineering standards that have been refined over generations.
Brands like La Marzocco, Victoria Arduino, Sanremo, Nuova Simonelli, and Faema have become synonymous with quality espresso, not just because of the coffee they produce, but because of what they represent. Heritage, craftsmanship, and a deep connection to café culture itself.
For many operators, an Italian espresso machine has long been the benchmark. But espresso is only part of the commercial market.
As coffee moved into workplaces, hotels, transport hubs, and large-scale catering, automation and convenience became just as important as barista craft.
Key Player's In Automation
Whilst Italy defined the traditional espresso space, other European countries have been central in pushing commercial coffee automation forward.
Swiss brands like Eversys and Schaerer have helped reshape expectations around bean to cup quality, proving that super automatic machines can deliver consistency at high volume without sacrificing the finished drink.
WMF has also played a major role in this sector, particularly in large foodservice environments where speed, reliability, and ease of use matter just as much as flavour.
For much of the last fifty years, commercial coffee equipment has been a European story, led by Italian espresso engineering and Swiss craftsmanship. But behind the scenes, the supply chain was already becoming increasingly global.
China Has Been Building Quietly for Years
It’s important to say this clearly: China is not new to the coffee machine industry. Many European manufacturers have sourced internal parts from Chinese suppliers for decades. Electronics, pumps, screens, valves, fittings, even key assemblies.
In many cases, “Made in Italy” or “Made in Switzerland” has meant designed and assembled in Europe, supported by components manufactured elsewhere.
Now, a significant change is underway - Chinese manufacturers are no longer just supplying parts. They’re building complete machines and exporting them globally. Fully featured espresso systems. Commercial bean to cup platforms. Grinders, milk units, automatic tampers. Whole ecosystems, shipped directly to international markets.
And the pace is accelerating.
A New Disruptor
While Chinese brands don’t yet have the legacy recognition of Italy’s giants, a growing number of manufacturers are beginning to appear more frequently in global coffee equipment conversations.
In some ways, it feels similar to what we’ve seen in the electric vehicle market over the past decade. China’s EV boom produced an explosion of new companies, all moving quickly, all offering competitive technology at disruptive price points. Many emerged at once, but only a handful have gone on to become serious global leaders.
Coffee equipment may now be entering a similar phase. A wave of Chinese manufacturers are rapidly innovating across every category, and while the market is still finding its winners, the momentum is undeniable.
Brands like Dr. Coffee and Jetinno are scaling rapidly in bean to cup automation, HiBREW is gaining visibility in espresso-focused prosumer equipment, and Wendougee is emerging as one of the most ambitious “ones to watch” in high-end grinders and modern machine design.
And beyond these names, there are dozens of other emerging players across espresso machines, milk technology, automation tools, and connected coffee systems, each trying to stake a claim in what could become a crowded and fast-moving global category.
The Competitive Edge
Price is the key differentiator. Commercial coffee equipment has become significantly more expensive over the last decade, and for many businesses, entering the market with high-quality machinery now comes with a serious financial barrier.
Chinese manufacturers are offering a compelling alternative: strong build quality and competitive features at much lower price points.
Many of these newer machines are also being built with an inherently modern technology mindset.
Open-system software is one example. Rather than closed ecosystems with limited flexibility, some Chinese manufacturers are developing platforms that allow operators more control, easier integrations, and greater customisation.
Remote diagnostics, real-time performance monitoring, usage analytics, machine data reporting. These features are being adopted quickly, and they are especially valuable for multi-site operators, contract caterers, and hospitality groups looking to manage consistency at scale.
In some ways, China is entering the coffee equipment market the way it has entered other industries: with speed, scale, and a very modern approach to product development.
Opportunity and Disruption: Where Does This Lead?
Italian manufacturers still hold major advantages in the commercial coffee world. Heritage matters in coffee.
Reliability matters. Service infrastructure matters. Trust matters. For premium operators, European brands remain the benchmark, and that won’t change overnight. But the emergence of Chinese-built commercial machines introduces both an exciting opportunity and a serious competitive threat.
For coffee-serving businesses, the upside is clear. Strong build quality, modern software, open systems, and significantly lower prices could reduce the cost of entry into high-quality coffee equipment and accelerate innovation across the industry.
It’s a development that could open doors for smaller operators, multi-site hospitality groups, and anyone looking to upgrade without the traditional price tag. For established European manufacturers, however, the question becomes more urgent.
If high-quality equipment becomes far more accessible, how do traditional giants respond? Do they move further upmarket? Do they introduce lower-cost lines? Or does the market simply expand, with more players competing across a wider range of segments than ever before?
This story is still in its early chapters, but the direction is clear. China is no longer just part of the coffee equipment supply chain. It is becoming a manufacturer in its own right, producing complete commercial systems with disruptive pricing and growing international reach.
Either way, 2026 is shaping up to be a fascinating year for the equipment world.
