Changing coffee trends, especially in Asia, should spell good news for the industry, said Mauricio Galindo, head of operations at the International Coffee Organization (ICO).
The ICO’s March conference on global coffee trends “showed the dynamism of emerging markets and economies,” Galindo told Colombia Reports. This will give a boost to the industry, which in Colombia has been suffering from low prices and a flooded market.
“Consumption trends in Asia: India, China, South Korea and Indonesia, are changing. They are organizing themselves and establishing structures for consumers, growers, buyers – imitating what we have here,” said the head of operations.
The average consumption growth in these regions is increasing by around 4% per year, said Galindo. Not only are these emerging economies seeing such huge growth, but demand from these countries will
Interestingly growth in the instant coffee market is driven largely by tea-drinking countries mainly because people are reluctant to change their hot-drink ritual, but also because low income prevents them from buying specialized equipment for coffee-drinking.
This preference for instant coffee will likely not benefit Colombian coffee growers initially, as instant coffee is made mostly from lower quality robusta beans rather than the high-quality arabica beans grown in Colombia.
However the trend seems to be that the taste for coffee in these regions will also change in the future. In South Korea where the total number
In Colombia, the fourth biggest producer of coffee worldwide, but where it is extremely difficult to find a good cup, Toma Cafe has been promoting a new dynamic in the coffee culture.
In a drive to increase the frequency of coffee consumption, representative Marcela Jaramillo said that Toma was attempting to promote drinking coffee as a traditional, yet sophisticated and modern social activity.
The group are endeavouring to introduce versatility to coffee-drinking such as iced coffees, cappuccinos and other different forms. Toma are “refreshing the image from dull and adult to young and hip, tackling health myths and concerns, improving preparation standards both in and out of home and increasing versatility,” Jaramillo said in her presentation.
Coffee consumption tends to grow in an “S” shape with very fast growth as seen in Asia, and then a flattening out, as currently evident in the United States.
The mature markets have also seen a shift from
“They are scaling up the game. We expect much more from there,” said Galindo.
Sources
- Interview with Mauricio Galindo, head of operations, International Coffee Organization
- ICO seminar on consumption (ICO)
- ICO March outlook (ICO)
- Coffee cup consumption (Wall Street Journal)
- Asia Coffee Summit (cafeasia.com)
- Tea and coffee world cup (singaporeexpo.com)