Coffee · importers
The United States leads the coffee, tea and spices chapter at $11.7B, 17.3% of reported world imports, and nearly twice the level of Germany in second place.
| Market | HS 09 imports |
|---|---|
| Germany | $6.5B |
| France | $4.0B |
| Italy | $3.4B |
| Canada | $2.4B |
| Spain | $2.2B |
Figures are for the whole of HS chapter 09 (coffee, tea, mate and spices); coffee is only part of it. Source: UN Comtrade, as reported by national authorities; latest available year per market.
Germany follows at $6.5B, so the United States is the deepest single market in the table by a wide margin. That depth attracts every major coffee origin, and established importers usually hold long relationships with exporters they have used for years. A newcomer needs a clear reason to be considered: a distinct flavour profile, a certification the buyer’s customers ask for, or dependable volume.
The chapter is only 0.3% of the country’s $3.36T imports and ranks 39th among its import chapters, so coffee is a large trade inside a small slice of the bill.
Most imported coffee arrives as green beans and is roasted close to the consumer. Buyers therefore include large roasters, specialty roasters and merchants who supply both. Large roasters buy on consistency and volume; specialty houses pay attention to cup quality, lot traceability and the story behind a farm or cooperative.
Ask a prospect which tier it occupies before you send samples, because the samples and the paperwork differ.
Chapter 09 covers coffee, tea, mate and spices together, so the $11.7B is not coffee alone. Coffee is one heading among several, and a heading-level search of shipment records is the way to isolate it. Mexico, China, Canada and Germany lead the overall source list, but it spans every product and does not show coffee origins.
Food-safety, labelling and import documentation requirements are set by the authorities and can change, so confirm the current position with them and with the importer before quoting. Fix Incoterm, currency, payment method and discharge port in the offer. Rankings are reporter-declared for the latest year and re-exports can distort them.
Customs shipment records under the coffee heading show consignees, weights and declared values. Use them with this site’s free marketplace to reach importers who buy regularly.
It ranks first of 96 at $11.7B in 2024, a 17.3% share of reported world imports. Germany is second at $6.5B.
No. The chapter combines coffee, tea, mate and spices. Coffee is one part of it.
Specialty buyers focus on cup quality and traceability, while large roasters mostly want consistency and volume.
Search customs shipment records under the coffee heading and study consignees, weights and declared values for repeat buyers.
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