Increased Interest in Coffee in Iran; Imports Have Grown by 70%

An Iranian industry official says that "with the changing tastes of Iranians," coffee imports to the country have increased by 70%. Hessam Rabiei, the head of the Iranian Coffee Association, stated on December 4 that coffee consumption in Iran is on the rise, with 30,000 tons of this product imported into the country in the first seven months of the current year. According to the head of the Iranian Coffee Association, as the interest in coffee among Iranians increases, empty capacities in the domestic market are being filled with "smuggled products." While coffee imports to Iran have increased to 30,000 tons in seven months, the previous year's import of green coffee beans was reported to be about 33,000 tons by the same industry official. In 2019, imports of this product were reported to be equivalent to 8,000 tons. Customs statistics also show that the value of coffee imports in 2023 has risen by 75% to $148 million. The development of cafe culture among young Iranians in recent years has also contributed to the growing popularity of coffee. Ali Zafari, vice president of the Tehran Cafes Union, reported last year that the number of cafes in Tehran increased from 3,000 to 6,000 compared to the COVID-19 pandemic period. Although tea, as a traditional beverage in Iran, still holds a special place, statistics indicate that coffee is rapidly replacing it. Last year, the second-hand sales website "Divar" published a report showing that in the first half of the year, out of 13 million searches related to coffee and tea, coffee accounted for 42% and tea for 58%. The word coffee has its roots in Ethiopian languages, and the origin of using this plant for making beverages also goes back to Ethiopia and Yemen. Until a few centuries ago, before Europeans became acquainted with coffee, this drink was common in the Middle East and Iran, consumed in homes and coffeehouses. Coffee consumption in Iran in previous centuries gave way to tea, but European interest in coffee has been increasing. However, the name coffeehouse remains in Iran. Despite the statistics indicating an increase in coffee popularity in Iran, the consumption level of Iranians compared to other countries remains distant. The "World Population Review" website reported Iran's per capita coffee consumption in 2020 to be 300 grams, while Scandinavian countries average about 12 kilograms, Turkey 1.9 kilograms, and the United States 4.7 kilograms. Concurrently with the increase in coffee consumption in Iran, the number of active companies in the coffee industry has also risen. These companies, which generally operate in the fields of trade, packaging, or processing imported coffees, have increased the "demand for importing raw materials" related to this product. According to Iranian customs statistics in 2023, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, and Uganda were the five main countries involved in coffee imports to Iran, accounting for 95% of the value of imported coffee. The value of the coffee market in global trade was $45.5 billion in 2022, with Brazil, Colombia, and Vietnam being the largest coffee exporters and the United States, Germany, and Belgium being the largest coffee importers. Coffee accounted for 0.19% of global trade in 2022.