In Latin America, coffee production and export are one of the most important economic activities, especially in countries like Brazil, Colombia, Nicaragua, and Honduras.
For decades, Latin American coffee has stood out for the uniqueness of its beans, in terms of flavors and aromas. In 2021, the volume of coffee produced in South and Central America and Mexico accounted for 61% of the global total, with Brazil accounting for 34%, producing 56.3 million 60-kilogram bags.
The growth in coffee production and development in the region has also impacted its consumption, making it an important part of daily life for many Latin Americans.
In this article, we will address precisely this topic by understanding some coffee consumption statistics in Latin America.
Per capita consumption by region
Although two of the three largest coffee producers in the world are located in Latin America (Brazil and Colombia), our region is not the one that consumes the most coffee. Only Brazil ranks among the top 10 countries with the highest per capita coffee consumption, with an average of 4.8 kg per capita per year.
In Colombia, coffee consumption per capita is currently 2.8 kg, up from 2.2 kg per year in 2019, meaning consumption has increased nationwide. In fact, if the figures for the population over 12 years of age were included, the per capita rate would increase from 2.8 to 3.4 kg.
The remaining countries of the continent consume from 2 kg per capita:
- Mexico: 1.7 kg
- Venezuela: 1.6 kg
- Argentina: 1.4 kg
- Peru: 1.4 kg
- Ecuador: 0.7 kg
- Chile: 0.7 kg
A study conducted by Cafemalist revealed that Brazil, Colombia and Chile are the leading countries in consumption per cup per day :
In Northern Europe, we find countries that consume between 8 and 11 kg per capita per year, such as Finland, Norway, Iceland, and Denmark. In this sense, If Latin America produces approximately 57% of the world's coffee exports, why don't we consume it in the same way?
The answer is in our love for other non-alcoholic beverages , as is the case with soft drinks, which have stood out for their preference among consumers in several countries in the region, especially due to their low cost.
While in other countries like Argentina and Uruguay, mate is the drink of choice, as is tea for Chileans and Bolivians. Furthermore, it makes sense that coffee is the favorite beverage in Nordic countries due to the climatic conditions, which further encourage the consumption of hot beverages like coffee.
Coffee drinking habits
The Cafemalist team conducted a study on coffee consumption in Latin America with the participation of more than 250 people from across Latin America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Among the most interesting findings of the study is that the 74% of respondents said they usually have a coffee with their breakfast. , and 49% said they buy the ground segment.
On the other hand, the majority (90.2%) attach importance to the origin of the coffee or the source of the beans they consume. In fact, 70.6% stated they prefer specialty coffee over commercial coffee, and 47.1% purchase it in coffeeshops.
Particularly, Specialty coffee consumption has grown in Colombia Kantar, the market research and consulting firm, stated that coffee is expected to gain greater prominence in 2023, impacting consumption in more than one million new households, based on consumption patterns observed in 2022.
Ultimately, Latin America is not the main coffee -consuming region in the world, but it is known for its important role in the production and export of Arabica and Robusta beans, among others.