Curiosity - Where is the most coffee consumed?

Every day as many as 1.6 billion cups of coffee are consumed worldwide, but only few people know where the most coffee is consumed and for which country the cup represents a daily ritual.

Some data comes from the ICO - International Coffee Organisation – based in London and founded in 1963. This body, with the support of the United Nations, brings together coffee producing and consuming countries that cooperate internationally. The objectives of the ICO are:

- Sustainable development of the world coffee economy

- Financing of coffee marketing projects

To date, 77 countries are members of the International Coffee Organisation, representing 97% of world production and 80% of consumption of this raw material.

The ranking of countries where most coffee is consumed

After water, coffee remains one of the most consumed beverages in the world and the ranking of consuming countries is led by Finland with 12 kg of coffee consumed each year. Right after we find Norway, Iceland and Denmark as this ranking shows:

1. Finland - 12 kg

2. Norway - 9.9 kg

3. Iceland - 9 kg

4. Denmark - 8.7 kg

5. The Netherlands - 8.4 kg

Between the first tree places in Europe, we find the cold countries, as a proof to the correlation between climate and coffee consumption. In Finland, we have a coffee culture that has nothing to envy from Italy. In fact, the overwhelming aroma of coffee greets the one entering their homes. The consumption of the beverage is also facilitated by the numerous work breaks, which allow one to sip an espresso or an American coffee in total relax.

In second place is Norway with 9.8 kilos of coffee per person per year. Coffee has been present in this country since the 18th century and was once the drink of rich people. Norwegians like to consume black coffee for breakfast and together with dessert.

In third place is Iceland with 9 kilos of coffee yearly per capita. Although there are no large chain coffee shops here, you can find a high number of small, nice cafés where to drink coffee.

As for Italy, hard to believe, but we are not among the biggest coffee drinkers in the world and we are only 13th in the ranking with an average coffee consumption per person of 5.8 kilos and ahead of other European countries such as Germany and France not least Brazil.

Canada in first place

Where is coffee consumed the most in the rest of the world? Leaving Europe, among the largest coffee consumers is Canada where the coffee market is doing quite well. There is a sell-out of about 4.17 million 60 kg bags in 2011 and 4.83 million in 2020 (source: Statista).

In general, there is a coffee consumption of 7.830 kg per person and 2/3 of Canadians consume at least one cup of coffee per day with an average of 3.2 cups according to the Specialty Coffee Association of Canada. The preferred coffee is American-style, but espresso is increasingly growing in the preferences of consumers, who are aged between 18 and 79.

Alongside the big international coffee brands, there are also small and high-end artisan roasters offering customised espresso blends.

How much coffee is consumed in Italy?

Coffee is a beverage traded on the financial market on a par with oil, and every year Italy imports 300 tonnes of coffee. On average, an Italian family consumes around 37 kg of coffee annually, but as we have seen, we are a long way from Northern European countries, where, however, coffee is quite different from the Italian-style espresso.

In Italy, 9.3 million coffees are consumed every day and half of the Italians regularly drink at least one cup of coffee per day for a turnover of 20 billion euros. Italian brand coffee is also imported in France, Germany, the USA, Austria and Russia.

A curiosity? Espresso coffee lovers spend €250 per capita per year on coffee consumption and a lot of it is drunk in the 149,000 shops (bars and restaurants). This increased compared to 15 years ago, a year we associate with the entry of the first espresso machines for domestic use.

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