Brazil's coffee consumption seen overtaking US

The local coffee industry estimates half a million homes now have espresso makers and single-serve coffee by multinationals Nestle and Sara Lee is taking off as well. The world relies on large coffee producers like Brazil. Supplies of superior grades of beans have run short this year as demand grows and after bad weather and tree renewal dented Colombia's prized arabica produce for two seasons.

The United States consumed about 21.78 million bags last year, up 1.6 percent from 2009 when demand had fallen slightly on economic woes, according to a monthly report by the International Coffee Organization.Brazilians gulped down 18.95 million 60 kg bags worth of coffee in 2010, about 40 percent of total production. Finland has the highest consumption of coffee per capita.

Brazil's coffee consumption seen overtaking US

November 11, 2011

By Alex Leff

Reuters

Nov 11 (Reuters) - Brazil could overtake the United States in overall coffee consumption in the next few years as increasing wealth in Brazil is driving a rise in locals' thirst for espressos and cappucinos, according to the country's coffee association head.

Brazil, the world's top coffee grower, could consume more coffee than the United States in "two to three years," Nathan Herszkowicz, executive director of Brazil's coffee industry association Abic told Reuters on Thursday.

Speaking ahead of the Sintercafe coffee conference in Costa Rica, Herszkowicz said Brazil's coffee consumption is rising by about 4 percent each year.

Brazilians, who traditionally drink lower-grade leftovers from exports, are increasingly drinking finer brews, he said.

"In Brazil the middle class has grown and has more money nowadays. Consumers are becoming more sophisticated and want more quality, they want differentiation," he said.

"In 2000 you could not find gourmet coffee on supermarket shelves -- now we have 104 different brands that are certified as gourmet coffees in the program in the stores," Herszkowicz said.

The local coffee industry estimates half a million homes now have espresso makers and single-serve coffee by multinationals Nestle and Sara Lee is taking off as well.

In response to rising demand at home and abroad, Brazilian growers are tweaking farm practices to upgrade quality and fetch higher prices for their beans, Herszkowicz said.

The world relies on large coffee producers like Brazil. Supplies of superior grades of beans have run short this year as demand grows and after bad weather and tree renewal dented Colombia's prized arabica produce for two seasons.

The United States consumed about 21.78 million bags last year, up 1.6 percent from 2009 when demand had fallen slightly on economic woes, according to a monthly report by the International Coffee Organization.

Brazilians gulped down 18.95 million 60 kg bags worth of coffee in 2010, about 40 percent of total production.

Finland has the highest consumption of coffee per capita.