Mercadona has been a threat to other supermarket and restaurant chains for years. Now it is for Starbucks

Mercadona gained fame (and money) as a supermarket chain, but it has long since explore business avenues in sectors that go far beyond the retail traditional. The clearest movement was made in 2018, when it launched a section of cooked dishes and “ready to eat” (in fact the service is literally called that) that has grown at record speed. Today it is already offered in 1,110 stores and has allowed Juan Roig’s chain to become an unexpected rival for hoteliers, who have seen how the firm monopolizes almost 20% of the expense in food and drink, more than bars and restaurants.

Now there is another sector with reasons to be on guard: coffee shops.

What has happened? That Mercadona has just launched a new service in Euskadi. At the end of February The Mail revealed that the Valencian chain installed a freshly ground coffee machine ready to go in a supermarket in Bilbao.

Said like this, it may seem like minor news, but it has more to it than it seems. To begin with, because it is the first Mercadona establishment to adopt this service in Basque lands. Second, because it demonstrates the speed with which the company is filling its supermarkets with ground coffee machines.

Are you riding that many? It’s not so much that coffee makers are available in many stores as it is the speed at which they are expanding. Mercadona’s commitment to freshly ground coffee machines is very recent. People began to talk about her in March 2025when the company started its first tests in a handful of locations in the province of Valencia.

“This is a laboratory,” the company then recognizedwho did not hide his desire to move the bet beyond Valencia. Its initial objective was that (if the idea worked) it would move to premises in the Community of Madrid after the summer. Now it is looking further, as demonstrated by its premiere in Bilbao.

Is it really growing? Yes. At least if we take as reference the dossier of gastronomic services published by Mercadona itself on its website. It details that the company has continued to expand its network of coffee services, taking it to new cities. Not only that. For months Mercadona advertise the service with a specific section in which it states that it has black coffee, milk, coffee and cappuccinos. The cups can be consumed on the premises.

The bet connects in part with Mercadona’s new store concept, the T9which seeks to adapt the premises to new consumer trends.

Why is it important? Everything that revolves around Mercadona generates expectation. And it’s normal. Roig’s firm has managed to conquer a market share of about 30%which (beyond struggles within the retail) means that it is the chain that thousands of families trust when they need to fill their refrigerators. This growth has allowed it to become a heavyweight in the food sector, one that is no longer just viewed with suspicion by the rest of the supermarket chains. Its long shadow is also felt in the hospitality industry.

Recently the consulting firm Worldpanel by Numerator published a report in which it states that Mercadona already has a value share in food and beverage consumption of 19.7%. What does that mean? That practically a fifth of everything we spend on food and drink ends up at Mercadona checkouts.

The percentage is tremendous not only because of its reach. It is also the case when compared with other actors analyzed in the same study. The sum of bars, cafes and terraces is assigned a quota of around 11.2% and independent restaurants 8.6%. Conclusion: Mercadona is not only ending the idea of ​​cooking at home, it threatens to do the same with restaurants.

Why is it important? Because regardless of how Mercadona is doing, its commitment reflects profound changes in the consumption habits of Spaniards. In fact, the chain’s success is largely explained by its aim when drawing up strategies. First, it opted for the short assortment model, filling its shelves with private label items. He then launched himself into the prepared food market, convinced that kitchens have the days counted.

Now your new bet invites you to ask yourself another question: Will we continue going to cafes for a mid-morning coffee or will we have it at the supermarket?

Images | Mercadona

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