Coffee - Made in China
As "Made in America" becomes more popular, some industries, which may have missed the "Made in China" decade, are playing catch up.
We are not referring to the cups, coffee machines and other packaging material, which was probably already made in China, we are referring to China's expanding coffee exports.
In recent years, the Chinese consumption of coffee has grown drastically. This, together with droughts in Brazil and other traditional coffee growing regions, has increased the overall demand for Chinese coffee.
Coffee is grown in the mountain regions of Yunnan China, close to Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar. Major corporations have been setting up offices this year in China, as their imports of Chinese coffee have grown.
Some of this coffee is brought to the US, roasted and then shipped back to China for sale. A small percentage is being used in blends made by major US retailers.
Fair trade, Organic and other certifications may be hard to find when looking for Chinese coffee, as China has a history of unfair labor practices, including child labor.
As with all developing markets, changes abound and we expect to see many changes in this market. We will keep you posted as this market develops further and as usual, will be looking to include some Chinese coffees in our Select collection.
Stay tuned.