Popular articles
Recent discussions on forum
Which Country Drinks The Most Coffee
Which part of the world loves coffee the most? Let's find out!
Published January 5, 2022
Select language
Vasileia Fanarioti
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
With a Starbucks on almost every corner, McDonalds converting to McCafe, and Dunkin Donuts as part of many morning trips, it's hard to believe everyone drinks more coffee than Americans. However, on a per capita coffee consumption basis, the US is a midsize beverage in a sea of oversized coffee drinking countries.
While coffee drinking began in Yemen in the 15th century and the image of a Parisian café or a Roman espresso bar is often the first thought when it comes to the "home" of coffee drinkers, none of these nations breaks into the top ten on how much coffee each citizen consumes . So how do the countries of the world stack up when it comes to coffee consumption?
Which Country Drinks The Most Coffee
10 - Canada: 6.5 kg per capita
Canada is the only non-European country that has made the list of the ten best coffee producers in the world. From east to west, Canadians love their coffee. Although popular chains are common across the country, every city in Canada often also has a number of independent stores.
The drink is so popular in this country of 33 million that the Coffee Association of Canada names it the most widely consumed drink in the country. Despite the predominance of coffee houses in Canada, many Canadians prefer to drink their coffee at home. Cold weather and long winters were cited as a popular pull factor that lured residents into the appeal 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 drinks an average of around 6.5 per capita per year. There are numerous cafes in the capital of Luxembourg that offer both simple filter coffee and artisanal drinks.
Some of the espresso drinks unique in Luxembourg are "lait Russe" or "Russian Milk", essentially a latte, or a "cafe gourmand", a type of French espresso drink that goes with a dessert.
8 - Belgium: 6.8 kg per capita
Visions of waffles and beer may come to mind when you think of Belgium, but Belgium has a long history of associating 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 meet its demand for coffee by growing the plant in the Congo and Rwanda. Today, with cafes in every city, it's easy to grab a quick cup to accompany the world-famous waffles that are the country's answer to a donut
7 - Switzerland: 7.9 kg per capita
Like many other countries, coffee is a social activity in Switzerland. Espresso-based drinks are particularly popular in this Central European country, including the "Caffè Crema", a type of espresso similar to an Americano that is said to have originated in Switzerland near the Italian border.
In contrast to many Scandinavian counterparts, filter coffee is less popular with the Swiss. For the average Swiss who drinks up to five cups a day, coffee can be an expensive pastime, as a cup of coffee in a coffee shop can be as high as $ 3.5.
6 - Sweden: 8.2 kg per capita
In Sweden there is a concept known as "fika", a sort of coffee relaxation ritual. Within this concept the pairing of cookies or pastries is implied. A variety of situations can be referred to as "fika", be it a break during the work day or a social gathering. The one important common denominator is that there is coffee.
Many Swedes take their coffee very seriously, to the point where it's not just a drink in the country, it's a way of life. While coffee can be safely enjoyed in the comfort of your own home, for the most part coffee is a social interaction. In big cities like the capital of Stockholm, cafes, chains and independent locations alike, can be found in abundance.
5 - Netherlands: 8.4 kg per capita
In 1616, the Dutch were the first Europeans to receive living coffee trees, brought by Pieter van der Broecke from Mocha in Yemen. The beans from these coffee bushes were then used to start Dutch coffee growing, with the colonies of Java and Suriname eventually becoming major suppliers of coffee to Europe.
These days coffeehouses in Amsterdam are known for serving coffee alongside another specialty product, marijuana, but don't let that tarnish you. Coffee culture is still strong and rich in the Netherlands. On average, the Dutch drink 1.84 cups a day.
Coffee is served in the house for "koffietijd" (coffee time), usually with biscuits and cakes. Interestingly, coffee culture is somewhat split between north and south and along religious lines. The north was traditionally populated with Protestants who preferred to serve coffee with just a biscuit, which is seen as a gesture of humility. In the south, traditionally populated by Catholics, koffietijd usually includes "vlaai", a large sweet cake.
4 - Denmark: 8.7 kg per capita
If the Nordic nations are the kings of coffee, then that nation is appropriately the Danish prince of hot brown drink. Residents of the kingdom drink 1.46 cups of coffee every day.
Like other Scandinavians, coffee in Denmark is traditionally served with every meal and becomes the focal point on special occasions, served with biscuits, cakes and small sandwiches. Danes rank a little better on another statistic as they have the 6 most expensive coffee in the world, so each of those 1.46 mugs cost a pretty crown. So grab a Danish Bodum coffee press and some aptly named Danish pastries and dream of spring in Copenhagen.
3 - Iceland: 9 kg per capita
There has to be a connection between cold climates and a cup of coffee - maybe it's a perfect touch of coziness to stay indoors on a cold, dark day. Like its other Northern European counterparts, the island nation of Iceland enjoys an average of 5 cups of coffee per person per day!
You won't find any coffee giants like Starbucks or Second Cup in the capital Reykjavik. However, there is no shortage of smaller, independent coffee shops scattered around town, many in close proximity to one another. In case there was a question about whether or not Iceland takes its coffee drinking seriously, the country holds competitions that pit baristas and roasters against each other to find the best beer in the country.
2 - Norway: 9.9 kg per capita
As in most European countries, coffee in Norway first became popular among the rich in the early 20th century. Although Norway was a relatively poor country, the rule of Denmark at the time had its advantages; In this case a lot of cheap Java.
Coffee is usually served black for breakfast and after dinner for dessert. The Norwegians usually also specifically invite you to coffee, which is served with cakes and pastries. If you're ever in rural Norway, don't forget to try "Karsk", a cocktail made with lightly brewed coffee and a hefty helping of vodka or moonlight. Don't worry if it's too strong you can always light it to burn off 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 kg per capita is probably on the low end for most in Finland. If you took children out of the calculation, the national average would go even higher!
Coffee is typically consumed all day and every day, and coffee breaks are required by most labor unions. Special occasions and lunches after church are celebrated with a coffee table - a buffet with cold sandwiches, bread, biscuits 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. This likely originated early when Finns bought green coffee beans to roast at home. The traditional Finnish way of making coffee is a variant of Turkish coffee in which the water and coffee grounds are only briefly brought to the boil.
Finnish coffee culture can be traced back to a variety of influences, such as Lutheran work ethic, Swedish rule, and various coffee bans, but one thing is certain: coffee is not going anywhere.
Final Thoughts
So, it looks like the southern hemisphere produces the coffee beans and the northern hemisphere consumes them! The Scandinavians seem to have a particular love for coffee. It’s always interesting to read facts and figures like this as they also shine a light on other socio-political aspects of our lives, even if we are just talking about coffee.
About the author
Vasileia Fanarioti
My name is Vasileia and I’m here because i decided to combine my two favourite things: writing and coffee. I love travelling around the world and visiting coffee shops but my biggest goal is to visit a coffee farm, to see where it all starts! You can follow my coffee adventures via my blog: thewanderingbean.net
Add comment
More on the coffee lab
Sign up and contribute now