Ground coffee beans
Latin America (excluding Mexico) plus the Caribbean accounted for the highest dollar value worth of coffee exports during 2016 with shipments amounting to $10.7 billion or 34.8% of worldwide coffee exports. Close behind in second place was Europe with 34.2%, followed by Asia at 18.1% and Africa at 6.2%. North American exporters shipped 5.9% of international coffee sold during 2016.
The 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code prefix for coffee is 0901.
Coffee Exports by Country
Countries
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of coffee during 2016:
- Brazil: US$4.9 billion (15.9% of total coffee exports)
- Vietnam: $3.2 billion (10.5%)
- Colombia: $2.5 billion (8%)
- Germany: $2.3 billion (7.6%)
- Switzerland: $2.1 billion (6.7%)
- Italy: $1.5 billion (5%)
- Indonesia: $1 billion (3.3%)
- Belgium: $988.1 million (3.2%)
- United States: $931.2 million (3%)
- Honduras: $859.1 million (2.8%)
- Guatemala: $761.1 million (2.5%)
- Peru: $757.8 million (2.5%)
- France: $743.8 million (2.4%)
- Ethiopia: $736.3 million (2.4%)
- Canada: $553.8 million (1.8%)
The listed 15 countries shipped over three-quarters (77.6%) of global coffee exports for 2016.
Five of the above coffee exporters grew the value of their shipments in 2016 compared to 2016: France (up 80.7%), Colombia (up 25.9%), Italy (up 16.5%), Switzerland (up 14.1%) and Canada (up 12.7%).
The remaining top countries posted declines in their exported coffee sales led by Honduras (down -38.9%), Peru (down -26%), Guatemala (down -20.6%), Indonesia (down -19.3%) and Belgium (down -18.2%).
Advantages
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for coffee during 2016. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s coffee exports and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- Brazil: US$4.8 billion (net export surplus down -15.8% since 2012)
- Vietnam: $3.1 billion (down -10.5%)
- Colombia: $2.4 billion (up 37.3%)
- Switzerland: $1.4 billion (up 36.8%)
- Indonesia: $960.1 million (down -15.2%)
- Honduras: $858.9 million (down -38.9%)
- Guatemala: $760.5 million (down -20.6%)
- Peru: $755.1 million (down -26%)
- Ethiopia: $736.3 million (down -17.3%)
- India: $436.9 million (down -10.3%)
- Nicaragua: $433.5 million (down -16.9%)
- Uganda: $332 million (down -10.4%)
- Costa Rica: $293.8 million (down -29%)
- Kenya: $224.9 million (down -15.9%)
- Papua New Guinea: $187.6 million (down -23.1%)
Brazil has the highest surplus in the international trade of coffee. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms Brazil’s strong competitive advantage for this specific product category.
Opportunities
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for coffee during 2016. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s coffee import purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- United States: -US$4.8 billion (net export deficit down -15.2% since 2012)
- France: -$1.6 billion (down -16.6%)
- Japan: -$1.4 billion (down -17.7%)
- Germany: -$1.1 billion (down -48.4%)
- Spain: -$724.4 million (up 2.5%)
- United Kingdom: -$663.8 million (up 7.8%)
- Canada: -$638.2 million (down -30.7%)
- South Korea: -$559.5 million (up 20.6%)
- Russia: -$490 million (up 6%)
- Australia: -$424.4 million (down -0.5%)
- Netherlands: -$393.8 million (up 16.6%)
- Austria: -$332.9 million (down -15.4%)
- Sweden: -$328.5 million (down -26.5%)
- Greece: -$254.5 million (up 46.2%)
- Finland: -$228 million (down -22.5%)
United States has the highest deficit in the international trade of coffee. In turn, this negative cashflow confirms America’s strong competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for coffee-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful consumer demand.
Companies
Coffee Exporting Companies
According to the Tropical Commodity Coalition (TCC), green coffee beans are a minimally processed product accounting for approximately 95% of coffee exports. Ironically, coffee-producing countries earn very little from the sale and export of their products given that a large share of coffee supply chain profits go to middlemen and large roaster conglomerates.
International coffee trading companies operating in producer countries via joint ventures with local middlemen. The following are examples of coffee-trading companies located in the country shown within parentheses:
- Barbera Coffee Company (Italy)
- Coffee Cabana Brazil (Brazil)
- Maxwell House (United States)
- Miko Coffee (Belgium)
- Nestlé (Switzerland)
- Neumann Gruppe AG (Germany)
- O’Coffee – Brazilian Estates (Brazil)
- Ospina Coffee Company (Colombia)
- Simexco Daklak Ltd (Vietnam)
- Starbucks Corporation (United States)
Searchable List of Coffee Exporting Countries
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns below.
| Rank | Exporter | 2016 Coffee Exports | % World Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Brazil | US$4.9 billion | 15.9% |
| 2. | Vietnam | $3.2 billion | 10.5% |
| 3. | Colombia | $2.5 billion | 8% |
| 4. | Germany | $2.3 billion | 7.6% |
| 5. | Switzerland | $2.1 billion | 6.7% |
| 6. | Italy | $1.5 billion | 5% |
| 7. | Indonesia | $1 billion | 3.3% |
| 8. | Belgium | $988.1 million | 3.2% |
| 9. | United States | $931.2 million | 3% |
| 10. | Honduras | $859.1 million | 2.8% |
| 11. | Guatemala | $761.1 million | 2.5% |
| 12. | Peru | $757.8 million | 2.5% |
| 13. | France | $743.8 million | 2.4% |
| 14. | Ethiopia | $736.3 million | 2.4% |
| 15. | Canada | $553.8 million | 1.8% |
| 16. | India | $549.9 million | 1.8% |
| 17. | China | $528.5 million | 1.7% |
| 18. | Netherlands | $525.9 million | 1.7% |
| 19. | Nicaragua | $433.8 million | 1.4% |
| 20. | Poland | $368.2 million | 1.2% |
| 21. | United Kingdom | $345.5 million | 1.1% |
| 22. | Mexico | $334.5 million | 1.1% |
| 23. | Uganda | $333.9 million | 1.1% |
| 24. | Costa Rica | $310.7 million | 1% |
| 25. | Czech Republic | $302.1 million | 1% |
| 26. | Spain | $262.4 million | 0.9% |
| 27. | Kenya | $227.1 million | 0.7% |
| 28. | Slovakia | $198.6 million | 0.6% |
| 29. | Papua New Guinea | $188.7 million | 0.6% |
| 30. | Tanzania | $161.5 million | 0.5% |
| 31. | Côte d'Ivoire | $160.7 million | 0.5% |
| 32. | Sweden | $136.8 million | 0.4% |
| 33. | El Salvador | $109.4 million | 0.4% |
| 34. | Austria | $90 million | 0.3% |
| 35. | Portugal | $87.7 million | 0.3% |
| 36. | Bulgaria | $83.6 million | 0.3% |
| 37. | Lithuania | $67.1 million | 0.2% |
| 38. | Rwanda | $59.4 million | 0.2% |
| 39. | Laos | $57.9 million | 0.2% |
| 40. | Finland | $57.2 million | 0.2% |
| 41. | Luxembourg | $51 million | 0.2% |
| 42. | Cameroon | $48.7 million | 0.2% |
| 43. | Hungary | $48 million | 0.2% |
| 44. | Burundi | $45.5 million | 0.1% |
| 45. | Singapore | $37 million | 0.1% |
| 46. | Denmark | $36.3 million | 0.1% |
| 47. | Jamaica | $35.3 million | 0.1% |
| 48. | Slovenia | $29.5 million | 0.1% |
| 49. | Australia | $28.5 million | 0.1% |
| 50. | Russia | $26.6 million | 0.1% |
| 51. | Latvia | $25.5 million | 0.1% |
| 52. | Panama | $25.4 million | 0.1% |
| 53. | Japan | $25 million | 0.1% |
| 54. | Greece | $24.3 million | 0.1% |
| 55. | Ireland | $22.9 million | 0.1% |
| 56. | Hong Kong | $22.2 million | 0.1% |
| 57. | Lebanon | $21 million | 0.1% |
| 58. | Guinea | $20.2 million | 0.1% |
| 59. | Croatia | $19.4 million | 0.1% |
| 60. | South Africa | $19.4 million | 0.1% |
| 61. | Ecuador | $19 million | 0.1% |
| 62. | Timor-Leste | $17.2 million | 0.1% |
| 63. | Togo | $14.4 million | 0.05% |
| 64. | Democratic Rep. Congo | $13.3 million | 0.04% |
| 65. | Djibouti | $13.3 million | 0.04% |
| 66. | Congo | $12.7 million | 0.04% |
| 67. | Malaysia | $10.5 million | 0.03% |
| 68. | Romania | $9.4 million | 0.03% |
| 69. | Yemen | $9.3 million | 0.03% |
| 70. | Turkey | $9.2 million | 0.03% |
| 71. | United Arab Emirates | $8.8 million | 0.03% |
| 72. | Norway | $7.8 million | 0.03% |
| 73. | Bolivia | $7.7 million | 0.03% |
| 74. | Dominican Republic | $7.6 million | 0.02% |
| 75. | Madagascar | $7.3 million | 0.02% |
| 76. | Cuba | $7.3 million | 0.02% |
| 77. | Serbia | $6.6 million | 0.02% |
| 78. | Taiwan | $6.5 million | 0.02% |
| 79. | Saudi Arabia | $6 million | 0.02% |
| 80. | Israel | $5.8 million | 0.02% |
| 81. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $4.9 million | 0.02% |
| 82. | Malawi | $4.9 million | 0.02% |
| 83. | Estonia | $4.1 million | 0.01% |
| 84. | Sierra Leone | $3.8 million | 0.01% |
| 85. | Armenia | $3.8 million | 0.01% |
| 86. | Thailand | $3.5 million | 0.01% |
| 87. | South Korea | $3.3 million | 0.01% |
| 88. | New Zealand | $3 million | 0.01% |
| 89. | Syrian Arab Republic | $2.5 million | 0.01% |
| 90. | Zambia | $2.4 million | 0.01% |
| 91. | Macedonia | $2.2 million | 0.01% |
| 92. | Jordan | $2.1 million | 0.01% |
| 93. | Zimbabwe | $1.9 million | 0.01% |
| 94. | Myanmar (Burma) | $1.4 million | 0.004% |
| 95. | Kuwait | $1.3 million | 0.004% |
| 96. | Argentina | $1.2 million | 0.004% |
| 97. | Nepal | $1.1 million | 0.004% |
| 98. | Sri Lanka | $966,000 | 0.003% |
| 99. | Angola | $956,000 | 0.003% |
| 100. | Belarus | $735,000 | 0.002% |
| 101. | Morocco | $727,000 | 0.002% |
| 102. | Haiti | $702,000 | 0.002% |
| 103. | Cyprus | $675,000 | 0.002% |
| 104. | Belize | $609,000 | 0.002% |
| 105. | Montenegro | $537,000 | 0.002% |
| 106. | Gambia | $481,000 | 0.002% |
| 107. | Malta | $441,000 | 0.001% |
| 108. | Nigeria | $419,000 | 0.001% |
| 109. | Ukraine | $371,000 | 0.001% |
| 110. | Albania | $366,000 | 0.001% |
| 111. | Oman | $365,000 | 0.001% |
| 112. | Liberia | $355,000 | 0.001% |
| 113. | Eritrea | $291,000 | 0.001% |
| 114. | Namibia | $245,000 | 0.001% |
| 115. | Macao | $232,000 | 0.001% |
| 116. | Ghana | $211,000 | 0.001% |
| 117. | Egypt | $210,000 | 0.001% |
| 118. | US Minor Outlying Is. | $210,000 | 0.001% |
| 119. | Senegal | $174,000 | 0.001% |
| 120. | Philippines | $164,000 | 0.001% |
| 121. | Sudan | $158,000 | 0.001% |
| 122. | Burkina Faso | $143,000 | 0.0005% |
| 123. | Niger | $134,000 | 0.0004% |
| 124. | Guinea-Bissau | $125,000 | 0.0004% |
| 125. | Moldova | $120,000 | 0.0004% |
| 126. | Georgia | $112,000 | 0.0004% |
| 127. | Dominica | $88,000 | 0.0003% |
| 128. | Chile | $82,000 | 0.0003% |
| 129. | Mauritius | $69,000 | 0.0002% |
| 130. | Gabon | $62,000 | 0.0002% |
| 131. | Sao Tome/Principe | $62,000 | 0.0002% |
| 132. | Iceland | $61,000 | 0.0002% |
| 133. | Trinidad/Tobago | $47,000 | 0.0002% |
| 134. | Guyana | $45,000 | 0.0001% |
| 135. | Vanuatu | $44,000 | 0.0001% |
| 136. | Cabo Verde | $40,000 | 0.0001% |
| 137. | Tunisia | $31,000 | 0.0001% |
| 138. | Swaziland | $26,000 | 0.0001% |
| 139. | Antigua/Barbuda | $26,000 | 0.0001% |
| 140. | Brunei Darussalam | $24,000 | 0.0001% |
| 141. | Bahrain | $21,000 | 0.0001% |
| 142. | Cambodia | $20,000 | 0.0001% |
| 143. | Qatar | $15,000 | 0.00005% |
| 144. | Saint Helena | $14,000 | 0.00005% |
| 145. | New Caledonia | $12,000 | 0.00004% |
| 146. | Anguilla | $11,000 | 0.00004% |
| 147. | Cayman Islands | $10,000 | 0.00003% |
| 148. | Equatorial Guinea | $9,000 | 0.00003% |
| 149. | Mali | $9,000 | 0.00003% |
| 150. | Mozambique | $7,000 | 0.00002% |
| 151. | Grenada | $6,000 | 0.00002% |
| 152. | Fiji | $6,000 | 0.00002% |
| 153. | British Virgin Is. | $5,000 | 0.00002% |
| 154. | Bangladesh | $5,000 | 0.00002% |
| 155. | Kazakhstan | $5,000 | 0.00002% |
| 156. | Netherlands Antilles | $4,000 | 0.00001% |
| 157. | Paraguay | $4,000 | 0.00001% |
| 158. | Micronesia | $4,000 | 0.00001% |
| 159. | Pakistan | $3,000 | 0.00001% |
| 160. | Somalia | $3,000 | 0.00001% |
| 161. | Venezuela | $2,000 | 0.00001% |
| 162. | Pitcairn | $2,000 | 0.00001% |
| 163. | Algeria | $2,000 | 0.00001% |
| 164. | Botswana | $2,000 | 0.00001% |
| 165. | Afghanistan | $1,000 | 0.000003% |
| 166. | Bahamas | $1,000 | 0.000003% |
| 167. | Barbados | $1,000 | 0.000003% |
| 168. | Palestine | $1,000 | 0.000003% |
| 169. | Iran | $1,000 | 0.000003% |
| 170. | Saint Lucia | $1,000 | 0.000003% |
See also Tea Exports by Country, Brazil’s Top 10 Exports and Top Soft Drinks Exporters by Country
Research Sources:
The World Factbook, Field Listing: Exports – Commodities, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on May 11, 2017
Trade Map, International Trade Centre. Accessed on May 11, 2017
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 11, 2017
Wikipedia, List of coffee companies. Accessed on May 11, 2017
Tropical Commodity Coalition, Five large companies that control the coffee trade. Accessed on May 11, 2017 (supplemented with independent research on updated company information)
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