Strong Ties Established at SCAJ 2024 Conference
Brazilian entrepreneurs in the specialty coffee sector are expected to secure approximately $48.43 million in deals following their participation in the SCAJ – World Specialty Coffee Conference and Exhibition 2024, held in Tokyo during the second week of October.
The Brazilian Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA), in partnership with the Brazilian Agency for the Promotion of Exports and Investments (ApexBrasil), organized business meetings aimed at strengthening connections with the Japanese market and other international partners, including coffee producers from India and representatives from Africa.
Overall, Brazilian businesses made 1,764 commercial contacts, with 1,049 being new connections, generating $7.463 million in immediate sales and forecasting an additional $19.59 million by the end of 2025.
From January to September 2024, Japan emerged as the fifth-largest destination for Brazilian coffee, importing 1.63 million 60 kg sacks, according to the latest report from the Coffee Exporters Council of Brazil (Cecafé). Notably, 15% of this total—247,700 sacks—consists of “differentiated coffees,” reflecting a 3.7% growth compared to 2023 figures.
Promoting Brazilian Coffee
The BSCA also hosted a tasting event featuring 28 samples of Brazilian coffees from various origins, designed to attract attention from other importing markets. This initiative, known as “Taste of the Harvest,” generated 308 contacts, including 72 new ones, leading to $1.62 million in immediate sales and an anticipated $19.76 million by September 2025.
Combined, these efforts contribute to the impressive total of over $48 million in specialty coffee transactions, marking a significant increase for the sector.
Vinicius Estrela, executive director of BSCA, emphasized the importance of promoting Brazil’s sustainable and diverse coffee image. “One of the pillars of our ‘Brazil. The Coffee Nation’ project is to strengthen the reputation of our specialty coffees and keep the doors open for traditional and new coffee growers from various regions to connect with global partners, especially in established markets like Japan, one of our main coffee buyers,” he stated.
Brazil has been exporting coffee to Japan since 1999, with heightened interest noted particularly in the past three years.
