Coffee remains Costa Rica’s most popular drinks, though surging prices dampen volume sales in 2025. That being said, there is also increasing demand for more premium offerings, as well as coffee with local provenance. Over the forecast period, a growing economy will support value and volume growth. While value sales will remain relatively low for tea and other hot drinks, offerings will functional benefits will drive growth.

Coffee, and in particular fresh coffee, continues to be Costa Rica’s most popular hot drink. However, volume growth is more muted in 2025, due to soaring coffee prices. That being said, the outlook is positive for coffee in Costa Rica, with sustainability and local provenance at its core.

There continues to be little thirst for tea in Costa Rica, with only minimal volume growth, and players frequently offering promotions to support volume sales. However green tea performs well, as consumers perceive it as being healthier. Over the forecast period, teas with functional benefits will perform better.

Chocolate-based flavoured powder drinks continue to dominate other hot drinks, in what is a consolidated competitive landscape. Over the forecast period, there is potential to tap into a growing demand for healthier options.

Costa Rica is experiencing a more unstable political landscape and a less peaceful environment, but government finances remain controlled. Tourism is struggling, as is ageing infrastructure, whilst the economy is moderating, but inflation is not an issue. Growing incomes will drive the consumer market and the population is more educated than peers, but social mobility is not progressing. Solid internet use will support e-commerce and connectivity is a focus, but innovation is lacking.

As price-sensitive consumers continue to seek savings, bag packaging has become increasingly popular in breakfast cereals in Costa Rica. However, these low-cost offerings are failing to attract consumers, and many are opting instead for alternatives such as baked goods, or healthier options like eggs, yoghurt and fruit.

Costa Ricans remain highly price sensitive in 2025, continuing to seek lower-priced items. At the same time, growing health awareness is influencing preferences toward products made with cleaner, more natural ingredients. Artisanal, unpackaged baked goods are becoming increasingly specialised in modern retail outlets, posing strong competition to packaged alternatives. However, packaged bread continues to experience growth as consumers value its convenience.

As fresh produce is widely available throughout Costa Rica, processed fruit and vegetables are usually only purchased when fresh items are unavailable. Growth in 2025 is supported by an increased variety of products in retailers, and the convenience and all-year-round availability of processed products.

In 2025, Costa Rican consumers continue to favour pasta, rice, and noodles as affordable and filling meal options amid ongoing financial pressure. Noodles leads category growth, driven by convenience, flavour variety, and the rise of spicy and ethnic options. Demand for healthier, organic, and clean-label products is expanding, while premium and specialty imports remain limited by price sensitivity.

Chilled processed red meat remains popular in Costa Rica in 2025, with a variety of flavour options available in modern grocery retailers across the country to cater to diverse consumer preferences. However, as health consciousness grows, more higher-income consumers are increasing their fish consumption or adopting vegetarian or vegan diets. Health-aware consumers are also increasingly focusing on cleaner ingredient lists, looking for simpler, more natural ingredients.

As food inflation and cost-of-living struggles persist, and global supply uncertainty intensifies (exacerbated by the US administration's trade approach), Costa Ricans are seeking affordable staple foods. High prices were already a challenge for the industry due to climate change and geopolitical conflict. While unit price fluctuations in staple foods in 2025 are not as strong as those seen previously, consumers remain highly price conscious and look for promotions or cheaper products.

In keeping with the trend evident across many other areas of the local packaged food market, Costa Ricans continue to show strong interest in sauces, dips and condiments with more distinctive and exotic flavour profiles in 2025. There is also rising interest in better-for-you options, particularly in categories like ketchup and mayonnaise.

While demand for more sophisticated and specialised varieties is on the rise among higher-income consumers, most Costa Ricans consider edible oils to be interchangeable. Price therefore remains the most influential factor in purchasing decisions in 2025. The lion’s share of retail volume sales continues to be generated by soy oil and other edible oils, both of which offer wide assortments of cheaper blended products.

Most Costa Ricans continue to prefer traditional and classic jam and preserve flavours such as strawberry and guava; however, there is growing interest in premium and exotic varieties, including fig and black cherry. Chocolate spreads also continue to gain popularity, as do convenient and more affordable doy packs. In addition, higher-income, health-conscious consumers are increasingly seeking natural, organic, and low-sugar alternatives.

High prices were already a challenge for the industry due to climate change and geopolitical conflict. While unit price fluctuations in cooking ingredients and meals in 2025 are not as strong as those seen previously, Costa Ricans remain highly price conscious and look for promotions or cheaper products. With budgets stretched, they have less brand loyalty, and often seek savings and choose outlets where they know they can get items at a lower cost. While indulgence and product innovation attrac

Growth in 2025 is driven by busier lifestyles and the rising demand for convenient meal solutions. The health and wellness trend is increasingly shaping purchasing decisions and will continue to do so over the forecast period, encouraging more consumers to seek out varieties that have lower levels of fat, salt and sugar.

Digestive remedies is expected to register positive current value growth in Costa Rica in 2025. What is noticeable is that there is increasing focus on gut health and a focus on probiotics and that is driving a lot of the innovation. Consumers are also increasingly aware that poor nutritional choices and stress lead to conditions such as heartburn and indigestion, reflux, ulcers etc. Also, in 2025, IBS treatments are expected to register the highest value growth. With more information available

Herbal/traditional products is a sizeable product area in Costa Rica and is expected to register healthy current value growth in 2025. There is a long tradition of using natural medicines, with the knowledge being passed down through the generations, and there is a general belief among consumers that natural is better. This continues to support value sales. Herbal/traditional sleep aids are expected to register the highest value growth and sleep aids such as melatonin and Valerian root extract a

Consumer health is expected to register moderate current value growth in Costa Rica in 2025. While there is deflationary pressure in the economy as a whole, this has not really fed into prices for consumers health products, which are considered expensive, especially compared with neighbouring countries. As such, there is a significant level of illicit products coming in from neighbouring countries. Commonly smuggled products are ibuprofen, diclofenac sodium and vitamins. Local brand Zepol is als

In 2025, cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies in Costa Rica is expected to register moderate current value growth. Value growth is dampened somewhat by growing demand for generics and consumers also responding to price promotions. Combination products are expected to register the highest value growth. Consumer perceive combination products as convenient, as they offer multi-symptom relief by targeting several common symptoms simultaneously in a single medication, which is practical and a

Sports nutrition is expected to register the highest current value growth of all consumer health products in 2025. Increasingly popular among bodybuilders, athletes, sports professionals and fitness enthusiasts, sports nutrition products are in high demand, supported by a growing fitness culture. Also, while sports nutrition is mainly targeted at athletes, there is also a growing number of consumers that purchase sports protein products for other reasons, such as for muscle recovery after injury

Wound care is expected to register both moderate current value and volume growth in Costa Rice in 2025. Increasing participation in sports and fitness activities support sales, as there is a higher incidence of minor injuries. While wound care is not considered a dynamic product area, there has been some increase in offerings, and there is some visibility of first aid kits in grocery retailers, though value sales are still negligible.

Overall, analgesics is expected to register healthy current value growth in Costa Rica in 2025. However, value growth is dampened to an extent, as it is a product with high maturity and little innovation. While analgesics are used generally for pains and aches, increasing fitness activity is also driving demand for analgesics, as there are more minor injuries as a result. Am emerging brand is the topical analgesic Fisiocrem from Mefasa Farma, which is growing in popularity, as it is a natural an

Dermatologicals is expected to register steady current value growth in Costa Rica in 2025. Products ranging from antifungals to nappy (diaper) rash treatments, along with medicated shampoos, are considered essential items and this supports values sales. In 2025, hair loss treatments are expected to gain the most value share, though from a low base. Modern treatments are more effective and this is leading to greater interest. In addition, increasing attention to personal appearance is also drivin