U.S. 15% tariff benefits Brazilian instant coffee

The instant coffee industry welcomed the U.S. government’s announcement of a global 15% tariff, which, if maintained, would replace the 50% rate that had been in effect on this Brazilian product. The executive director of the Brazilian Instant Coffee Industry Association (Abics), Aguinaldo Lima, noted, however, that trade agreements are needed to support the market.

“The situation was getting worse month after month in sales with what is Brazil’s largest instant coffee customer. Now we are entering a new level—whether the tariff is 10% or 15%—but one that puts all suppliers on equal footing,” the executive said.

In August last year, U.S. President Donald Trump announced tariffs on several Brazilian products. Some of them were later overturned, but items such as instant coffee have remained taxed since then.

In cumulative 2025 figures, the United States remained the main destination for the sector’s exports, purchasing the equivalent of 558,740 bags, a 28.2% drop from the previous year, according to Abics data.

“During the period when the 50% tariff was applied, between August and December, the reduction was even more drastic: 40% compared with the same period of the previous year. This highlights the direct and immediate impact of the trade barrier on the competitiveness of Brazilian instant coffee,” Lima recalled.

Container throughput data from Datamar tells a similar story. Throughout 2025, Brazil exported 2,249 TEUs of coffee concentrates and related extracts to the U.S., representing a 15% year-over-year decline. The following chart provides a comparative analysis of monthly soluble coffee exports to the U.S., measured in TEUs, according to figures from the DataLiner platform.

Soluble Coffee Exports to the U.S. | Jan 2022 – Dec 2025 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

The news of the 15% rate, announced on Saturday (Feb. 21), still calls for caution, but is “extremely positive” in Abics’ view, as it gives Brazilian exporters a chance to try to recover buyers lost last year.

Overall, the sector shipped 3.688 million 60-kg bags abroad last year, a 10.6% decline from 2024.

According to the executive, Brazil has always been the world’s most competitive country in the instant coffee segment and is now being challenged by Vietnam, which is likely to overtake Brazil in production and export levels this year due to trade agreements that Brazil does not have.

“Vietnam has made extensive use of agreements, especially in Asia, where instant coffee is growing the fastest,” he said. “We also need to keep pressing for the Brazilian government to continue negotiating harmonious agreements with the United States so as not to harm our trade,” he added.

Source: Globo Rural

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