Café Bustelo vs Illy:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Café Bustelo had more branded searches than Illy among coffee brands in the United States. Café Bustelo had about 90,500 branded searches, while Illy had 40,500. Café Bustelo made up 8.2% of all coffee brand searches we track, and Illy accounted for 3.7%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about coffee brands, Café Bustelo appeared in two of the five answers and Illy in none.
Who do people search for more?
Café Bustelo, about 2 searches for every 1 for Illy
Who does AI mention more?
Café Bustelo, mentioned in 2 of 5 answers, Illy in 0
Who does AI recommend more?
Café Bustelo, the only one of the two named
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Top coffee brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Café Bustelo was mentioned in two out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Illy did not appear in any of the five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Peet's Coffee3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Lavazza3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- Café Bustelo2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Stumptown2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Folgers1 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Death Wish Coffee1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Onyx Coffee Lab1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Counter Culture Coffee1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Intelligentsia1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Illy0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about coffee brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which coffee brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best coffee bean brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What is the best ground coffee?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“coffee beans”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“ground coffee”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United States on October 26, 2026.
Is Café Bustelo or Illy more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Café Bustelo and Illy by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all 15 coffee brands we track, month by month, from searches in United States.
Share of searches by month for Café Bustelo, Illy. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Peet's Coffee | Black Rifle Coffee | Café Bustelo | La Colombe | Folgers | Death Wish Coffee | Illy | Lavazza | Dunkin' | Onyx Coffee Lab | Stumptown | Bulletproof | Lifeboost | Counter Culture Coffee | Intelligentsia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 39.2% | 11.8% | 7.8% | 6.5% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 1.9% | 3.5% | 9.6% | 1.9% | 2.4% | 1.9% | 1.3% | 1.6% | 1.9% |
| Nov 2025 | 28.9% | 12.9% | 4.8% | 4.8% | 3.2% | 2.6% | 1.7% | 3.2% | 28.9% | 1.7% | 2.1% | 1.4% | 0.95% | 1.4% | 1.4% |
| Dec 2025 | 20.8% | 9.3% | 4.2% | 3.4% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1.3% | 2.3% | 46.1% | 1.5% | 1.9% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1% | 1.3% |
| Jan 2026 | 40.1% | 12% | 6.6% | 5.4% | 4.4% | 3.6% | 2.4% | 3.6% | 6.6% | 2% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| Feb 2026 | 35.6% | 13% | 7.2% | 5.8% | 4.8% | 3.9% | 2.6% | 3.2% | 10.7% | 2.1% | 3.2% | 2.6% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% |
| Mar 2026 | 36% | 13.2% | 7.2% | 7.2% | 4.8% | 4% | 2.2% | 3.2% | 8.8% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% |
| Apr 2026 | 37.7% | 11.3% | 7.6% | 6.2% | 4.1% | 3.4% | 2.8% | 3.4% | 11.3% | 2.3% | 2.8% | 2.3% | 1.5% | 1.9% | 1.5% |
| May 2026 | 45.5% | 11.2% | 7.5% | 6.1% | 4.1% | 3.4% | 2.2% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 2.2% | 3.4% | 2.2% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% |
| Jun 2026 | 43.2% | 10.6% | 7.1% | 7.1% | 4.8% | 3.9% | 2.6% | 3.9% | 2.1% | 2.6% | 3.9% | 2.6% | 1.7% | 2.1% | 1.7% |
| Jul 2026 | 41.9% | 12.6% | 8.4% | 6.9% | 4.6% | 3.8% | 2.5% | 3.8% | 2.1% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 2.1% | 1.4% | 2.1% | 1.7% |
| Aug 2026 | 47% | 9.4% | 7.7% | 6.3% | 5.2% | 3.5% | 2.3% | 3.5% | 2.3% | 2.8% | 2.8% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.5% |
| Sep 2026 | 40.9% | 10% | 8.2% | 6.7% | 5.5% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2% | 1.6% |
How has the Café Bustelo and Illy comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Café Bustelo was ahead of Illy in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Café Bustelo’s share of searches among coffee brands in the United States moved from 7.8% to 8.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 110K to 90.5K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Illy’s share of searches among coffee brands in the United States moved from 1.9% to 3.7%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 27.1K to 40.5K.
How did search popularity change for United States coffee brands in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Illy overtook Lavazza and 3 others to rank 7th among coffee brands in the United States, with 3.7% of the searches.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Café Bustelo in the United States fell 17.7% over 12 measured months, from 110K to 90.5K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Café Bustelo’s and Illy’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Café Bustelo
1 branded search term
- cafe bustelo
Illy
1 branded search term
- illy coffee
Other head-to-heads among coffee brands
Peet's Coffee vs Black Rifle Coffee: compare popularity- Peet's Coffee vs Café Bustelo: compare popularity
Peet's Coffee vs La Colombe: compare popularity- Peet's Coffee vs Folgers: compare popularity
- Black Rifle Coffee vs Café Bustelo: compare popularity
- Black Rifle Coffee vs La Colombe: compare popularity
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