Upcoming import expo to be a stepping stone for growth of Brazilian coffee

Brazil's coffee sector is looking to capture a greater share of the Chinese market by making a splash at China's upcoming import expo.

At least 12 Brazilian coffee producers are preparing to feature their gourmet lines at the first ever China International Import Expo (CIIE) to be held on November 5-10 in Shanghai.

As the expo's guest of honor, Brazil believes it has a unique opportunity to transform that exposure into higher sales. The expo "is a great platform for supporting and promoting the entry of Brazilian brands into the Chinese market, considering the strength Brazilian coffee has in the world," said Igor Brandao, director of agribusiness at Brazil's Foreign Trade Promotion Agency.

Brazil's comprehensive strategic partnership with China - both BRICS members of emerging economies along with Russia, India and South Africa - helped it garner guest country status.

The trade show will also let the Brazilian government and private-sector representatives get a first-hand look at the "new [consumer] habits of the Chinese," Brandao said.

Data compiled from coffee shop sales in the Asian giant "shows that consumption of specialized coffee has tripled," he said.

Promoting Brazil's coffee industry and high-end beans is the task of the Brazilian Association of Specialty Coffee, which is behind such media campaigns as "Brazil, The Coffee Nation."

"We are the world's largest producer and exporter of coffee, yet Brazilian coffee is put into a blend of the best-known global brands. People around the world drink different brands of coffee without realizing it's Brazilian," Brandao complained.

But the campaign aims to change that.

Brazilian coffee exports to China currently account for just 0.2 percent of its total global sales, according to Brandao.

"We have a lot of room to grow in the Chinese market for specialty coffee," Brandao said.

China is Brazil's main trading partner and the South American country is looking to diversify that trade exchange.