With a Starbucks in almost every corner, McDonalds converting to McCafe and Dunkin Donuts as part of many daily trips, it’s hard to believe that anyone drinks more coffee than Americans. Yet, based on per capita coffee consumption, the United States is a medium-sized beverage, in an ocean of large nations that consume coffee.
While coffee consumption started in the 12th century in Yemen and the image of a Parisian cafe or a Roman espresso bar is often the first idea of the “house” of coffee drinkers, none of these countries how much coffee each citizen consumes. So how do countries around the world stack up on coffee consumption?
10 – Canada: 6.5 kg per capita
Canada stands out as the only non-European country to be among the top ten coffee producers in the world. From east to west, Canadians love their coffee. Although popular chains are widespread across the country, each city in Canada often has a number of independent stores. The drink is so popular in this 33 million country that the Coffee Association of Canada has called it the most consumed drink in the country.
Despite the predominance of coffee in Canada, many Canadians prefer to drink their coffee at home. Cold weather and long winters were considered a popular pull factor, attracting residents to the lure of the hot brown drink.
9 – Luxembourg: 6.5 kg per capita
Luxembourg may be a small country, but its love for coffee is great. This small western European country consumes on average around 6.5 kg per capita per year. In the capital city of Luxembourg, cafes abound, serving both simple filter coffee and artisanal drinks. Among the espresso drinks unique to Luxembourg, one can cite a Russian milk, or Russian milk, which is essentially a café au lait or a gourmet coffee, a type of drink based on espresso coffee intended to be served with a dessert.
8 – Belgium: 6.8 kg per capita
When you think of Belgium, visions of waffles and beer may dance in your head, but Belgium has long associated its national obsession with chocolate with its 1.35 cups of coffee a day.
As a former colonial power in Africa, Belgium was able to fuel its demand for coffee by growing this plant in Congo and Rwanda. Today, with cafes in every city, it’s easy to grab a quick cup to go with the famous waffles that are the nation’s answer to a donut.
7 – Switzerland: 7.9 kg per capita
Like many countries making this list, coffee is a social activity in Switzerland. Espresso drinks are particularly popular in this central European country, including “caffè crema”, a type of espresso drink similar to an Americano which is said to come from Switzerland on the Italian border. Unlike many of its Scandinavian counterparts, filter coffee is less popular among the Swiss.
For the average Swiss who drinks up to five cups a day, coffee can be an expensive pastime, because a cup of coffee in a cafe can reach the US dollar.
6 – Sweden: 8.2 kg per capita
In Sweden, there is a concept known as “fika”, which literally means “to have a coffee”. In this concept, the pairing of cookies or pastries is implicit. A variety of situations can be described as “fika”, whether it be a break during the working day or a social gathering. The only common denominator is the presence of coffee.
Many Swedes take their coffee very seriously, to the point that it is not just a drink in the country, but a way of life. While coffee can certainly be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home, only coffee is mostly a social interaction. In big cities like the capital of Stockholm, there are plenty of cafes, chains and independent sites.
5 – Netherlands: 8.4 kg per capita
In 1616, the Dutch were the first Europeans to obtain live coffee trees, brought back from Mocha, Yemen, by Pieter van der Broecke. The beans from these coffee trees were then used to start the cultivation of Dutch coffee, the colonies of Java and Suriname eventually becoming the main suppliers of coffee in Europe.
Nowadays, Amsterdam cafes are famous for serving coffee alongside another specialty, marijuana, but don’t let that spoil your vision, the culture of coffee is still strong and rich in the Netherlands. On average, the Dutch drink 1.84 cups a day.
Coffee is served at home for “Koffietijd” (coffee time), usually with cookies and cakes. Interestingly, the coffee culture is somewhat divided between north and south and along religious lines. The north was traditionally populated by Protestants who preferred to serve coffee with a single cookie, considered a gesture of modesty. In the south, traditionally populated by Roman Catholics, Koffietijd generally includes “vlaai”, a large sweet pie.
4 – Denmark: 8.7 kg per capita
If the Nordic nations are the kings of coffee, this nation is rightly the Danish prince of hot drink. Residents of the kingdom sip cups of coffee 1.46 every day.
Like other Scandinavian countries, coffee in Denmark is traditionally served with every meal and becomes the centerpiece on special occasions, served with cookies, cakes and small sandwiches. The Danes rank slightly better on another statistic, having the 6 most expensive coffee in the world, so each of these 1.46 cups costs them a nice crown. So grab a Danish-made Bodum coffee press and well-named Danes, and dream of spring in Copenhagen.
3 – Iceland: 9 kg per capita
There has to be some correlation between cold climates and a cup of coffee – maybe that adds a touch of comfort to a cold, dark day. Like its counterparts in Northern Europe, the Icelandic island benefits, on average, from 5 cups of coffee per day per person!
In the capital Reykjavik, you won’t find coffee giants like Starbucks or Second Cup. However, there is no shortage of small independent cafes scattered throughout the city, many of which are close to each other. In case of doubt that Iceland takes its coffee seriously, the country hosts competitions between baristas and roasters in order to find the best beer in the country.
2 – Norway: 9.9 kg per capita
Like most European countries, Norwegian coffee was popularized by the wealthy in the early 12th century. Even though Norway was a relatively poor country, being ruled by Denmark at the time had its advantages; in this case, lots of cheap java.
Kaffe is usually served black for breakfast and for dessert after dinner. Norwegians also invite people for coffee, served with cakes and pastries. The average Norwegian drinks almost 2 a day, which means that some X million people in the country consumed a combined 5kg in 36,472,000. If you are already in rural Norway, don’t forget to try the “karsk”, a cocktail made with weakly brewed coffee and a great help with vodka or moon wine. Don’t worry, if it’s too strong, you can always turn it on to burn some of the alcohol!
1 – Finland: 12 kg per capita
If you’ve ever met a Finn, you know that the national average of 12 per capita is probably the lowest in Finland. If you were to remove children from the calculation, the national average would increase even more!
Coffee is generally consumed all day, every day, and most workers’ unions require coffee breaks. Special occasions and after church lunches are celebrated with a coffee table – a buffet of cold sandwiches, bread, cookies and cakes, and of course endless khavi.
The most popular coffees in Finland are very light roasts, much lighter than anywhere else in the world. It probably started very early when the Finns bought green coffee berries to roast at home. The traditional way of making Finn coffee is a variant of Turkish coffee where water and coffee grounds are barely repeated.
Finnish coffee culture can come from various influences such as the Lutheran work ethic, Swedish rule and several bans on coffee, but one thing is certain: coffee is not going anywhere anytime soon. If you are already invited to a Finnish house, be prepared to receive hot pots of coffee – do not ask for decaffeinated, it is practically nonexistent in this Nordic country.
Top 25 Coffee Consuming Nations
| Rank | Country | Coffee consumption (kg per person per year) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finland | 12.0 |
| 2 | Norway | 9.9 |
| 3 | Iceland | 9.0 |
| 4 | Denmark | 8.7 |
| 5 | Netherlands | 8.4 |
| 6 | Sweden | 8.2 |
| 7 | Swiss | 7.9 |
| 8 | Belgium | 6.8 |
| 9 | Luxembourg | 6.5 |
| 10 | Canada | 6.5 |
| 11 | Bosnia herzegovina | 6.2 |
| 12 | Austria | 6.1 |
| 13 | Italy | 5.9 |
| 14 | Brazil | 5.8 |
| 15 | Slovenia | 5.8 |
| 16 | Germany | 5.5 |
| 17 | Greece | 5.4 |
| 18 | France | 5.4 |
| 19 | Croatia | 5.1 |
| 20 | Cyprus | 4.9 |
| 21 | Lebanon | 4.8 |
| 22 | Estonia | 4.5 |
| 23 | Spain | 4.5 |
| 24 | Portugal | 4.3 |
| 25 | United States | 4.2 |