Did You Know?
Brazil (22.5 million bags)
After arriving from French Guiana in the early 18th century, coffee quickly spread and thrived in Brazil. Today Brazil is responsible for about a third of all coffee production, making it by far the heavyweight champion of the coffee-producing world. Though many connoisseurs believe that Brazil’s emphasis on quantity takes a toll on quality, many also praise the country’s finer varieties. Brazil is the only high-volume producer subject to frost. The devastating 1975 frost, in particular, was a boon to other coffee-growing countries. Two 1994 frosts raised prices worldwide. Notable Beans: Bahia, Bourbon Santos
Coffee Facts
The International Coffee Organization reports that while Brazil is the largest exporter of coffee, the United States is the number one importer. The first license to sell coffee in the US was in Boston to Dorothy Jones in 1770.
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, “One of many legends about the discovery of coffee is that of Kaldi, an Arab goat herder, who was puzzled by the strange antics of his flock. About AD 850, Kaldi supposedly sampled the berries of the evergreen bush on which the goats were feeding and, on experiencing a sense of exhilaration, proclaimed his discovery to the world.”
The World Encyclopedia of Coffee tells us that the first coffee house came about in 1686, when an enterprising Italian waiter, Francisco Procopio dei Coltelli, opened Procope’s (still in operation).
You’ve discovered the coffee treasures of Brazil & South America. Listed below for your pleasure are some of the finest Brazilian & South American Coffee.