Worldwide Coffee Supply Chain Hits New High

The coffee supply chain had a record year in 2021, with coffee-related products—like espresso coffee machines, decaffeinated and roasted coffee and non-roasted coffee beans—performing well, according to a new study by HostMilano.

The overall world trade value in the three sectors reached a new high of approximately $36.2 billion last year, according to the study. For the 2022-2025 period, HostMilano forecasts the value for world trade in coffee products to grow to $45.1 billion.

Coffee drinking, overall, is on the rise, even in surprising markets, says the report. In Asia, “where the beverage of choice has always been tea,” more consumers are opting for coffee. Last year, the market grew 1.5%, an increase HostMilano attributes to the Chinese market adopting western trends, first wine and now coffee.

“Young Asians have acquired new habits, often discovered while studying abroad, and they have been bewitched by the intense aroma of coffee, also thanks to recipes spread via social media,” says the study.

It’s also expanding to different generations. In the U.S., HostMilano points to a survey by the U.S. National Coffee Association that shows 46% of Americans ages 18-24 drink coffee regularly. The rise in coffee drinking among Gen Z may be due to consumption-driven trends across social media channels, like TikTok, says the study.

The countries with the highest coffee-related sales in 2021 were the U.S. (22.4%) and Germany (14.2%), ahead of Italy (6.4%), Japan (5.1%), Belgium (4.2%) and Switzerland (3.8%). Brazil once again was the world’s biggest exporter (27.6%), ahead of Colombia (13.9%), Vietnam (9.9%), Honduras (5.4%), Guatemala (3.6%), Ethiopia and Belgium (both 3.5%).