Coffee without Origin - What you're drinking when the package says nothing

Most coffee roasters do not declare the origin of their green coffee beans. Instead, communication is dominated by brand names or emotions. The fact is: almost all roasters buy and roast the same green coffees as everyone else. We give you tips on how you can still guess what you are drinking.

When we conducted our second tasting of Italian espresso, we noticed how hardly any roasters declared the origin of the coffees they used. Instead, there was talk of “harmonized blends” and “carefully selected” green coffees.

And this is not an isolated case.

This applies to many coffees consumed daily in Germany, Switzerland, and throughout Europe. So, if no origin information is provided – what are we actually drinking?

Many forgo transparent origin labeling. No country, no region, no farm, no processing method. Why exactly?

Why the origin is not mentioned

There are several reasons why roasters omit origin information.

Flexibility in blending:

The components of a blend can be adjusted depending on market availability and price fluctuations. This substitution is commonplace. As long as the coffee tastes the same, coffees are exchanged. Especially in times like now, when prices have risen sharply, blends are re-mixed to compensate for price increases.

Sensorially, there should be no deviation, but in terms of content, the constantly available blends always look different. A classic example is the substitution between washed coffees from Honduras and Peru: in both countries, coffee is processed by washing for large volumes. The general character of the two coffees is similar, with nutty and citrus notes predominating.

These coffees are often described as “cheap acid components” - at least before November 2024, i.e., before prices rose sharply. In addition, Honduras is in the northern hemisphere and Peru in the southern hemisphere, so harvesting times are staggered. Ideally, there is always fresh coffee from these countries, which makes substitution even easier, but above all increases flexibility in procurement.

Branding is paramount – not the content

We are constantly amazed by a brand self-perception that apparently trumps transparency. While there are roasters who specify a mixing ratio based on the types used, mostly Arabica and Robusta.

For example, we read “100% Arabica” - if we were to use this information alone for wine, it would be as precise as: 100% wine from red grapes. Surely we can do better.

However, we find this description even more superficial: coffee with “the best beans from the best growing regions in the world”. This is not only a very simplistic marketing jargon, but above all, in 2025, it is astonishingly anachronistic and leaves consumers in the dark.

No accountability to consumers

Neither in Switzerland nor in the EU is there an obligation to declare the exact origin (country, region) or variety, varietal, or processing method on the coffee packaging, as long as no misleading information is given.

However, if an origin is voluntarily stated, it must be correct. It is permissible to name a superordinate geographical area (such as "South America") instead of a country. The statement "100% Arabica" is allowed, provided it is true.

Transparency is voluntary, but if stated, it must be correct and not misleading. The EUDR deforestation regulation, which will apply from 2026, will indeed demand transparency, but only between the operator and the EU authorities.

The regulation requires importers and traders to be able to prove the exact origin (down to the plantation) to exclude deforestation. However, this information does not necessarily have to be on the packaging for end customers, and probably no roaster will handle it that way.

What we still know (or can know)

Even if nothing is stated on the package, contextual knowledge, sensory analysis, and two solid sources help us clarify the picture: The Coffee Report 2024 by Brand Eins and Tchibo shows which countries export the most coffee. And the European Coffee Report 2023/24 confirms:

Over 58% of coffee imported into Europe comes from only two countries: Brazil and Vietnam.

This is not surprising, as Brazil and Vietnam are the largest coffee-producing countries. Brazil produced 66.4 million 60kg bags of coffee, Vietnam 30.1 million. In other words: Brazil produced 38% and Vietnam 17% of the global coffee supply. This is followed by Colombia with 7% and Indonesia with 6% (for statistics).

Coffees from Brazil and Vietnam are therefore used almost across the board in most coffee products. It should be noted that Vietnam exports almost exclusively Robustas, and Brazil is the largest Arabica producer, but the second-largest Robusta (Conilon) producer.

If we look at the statistics in the European Coffee Report, we can read a lot into them.

Germany imported the most coffee of the 27 EU countries, from 2021-2023 it accounted for almost 34% of all imports into the EU. Some of the largest roasters such as Tchibo, Dallmayr and co. are in Germany and buy coffee. Italy is the second largest importer and purchased 23.5% of all green coffees imported into the EU during the same period. This is followed by Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands.

The largest importers in the EU

Germany, Italy, Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands accounted for more than 82% of all green coffee imports into Europe in 2023. The largest roasters in these countries are:

• Germany: Tchibo, Jacobs Douwe Egberts
• Italy: Lavazza, Illycaffè
• Belgium: Miko Coffee
• Spain: Cafés Candelas
• Netherlands: Douwe Egberts

Savings on green coffee - a "race to the bottom"

This graphic is particularly interesting, revealing much about the competitive pressure among coffee roasters. From 2021-23, we see a sharp decline in the import of Brazilian coffee and a sharp increase in coffee from Vietnam on the other hand.

What does that mean?

Since the vast majority of Arabica coffees from Brazil are imported into the EU, these were apparently replaced by Robusta from Vietnam. And because the latter was always cheaper in the same period, it is clear that adjustments were made not only to the sensory profile, but above all to the costs.

However, today things look different: Robusta has become more expensive and is now twice as expensive as Arabica from Brazil in 2023. Compared to the latter, Robusta is still cheaper today.

So if nothing is stated on the packaging, it is very likely that the roasted coffee comes largely from Brazil and Vietnam.

Uganda is in third place for coffee from the most imported countries of origin, with 7.8%.

Over 70% of Robusta is produced and exported in Uganda - so it is also likely that price reasons are one of the main reasons why Uganda is so important for the EU market. On the other hand, we see many more organic-certified cooperatives in Uganda. Therefore: the largest proportion of organic-certified Robusta in Germany comes from Uganda.

Commodity vs. Specialty

Import data also show that countries such as Ethiopia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Costa Rica also export to the EU. However, in significantly smaller quantities, and often for the specialty market.

What distinguishes coffee from these countries?

Ethiopia

• is famous for floral and fruity coffees. In Ethiopia, coffees are divided into grades, with Grade 1 coffees representing the highest quality
• for the mass market, Grade 3 and Grade 4 coffees are often used, which are less uniform and clean, but still retain the original characteristic of the taste
• often a few percent in a blend are enough to make the coffee smell different, especially in terms of aroma, and thus stand out from the crowd

Peru, Honduras, Mexico

• are among the leading exporters of double-certified (organic and fair trade) coffee. These are generally washed, citrusy coffees, and are often substituted

But where is Colombia, the third-largest coffee producer?

Switzerland in comparison

The graphic from the Swiss Sustainable Coffee Platform shows: In Switzerland, too, most coffee comes from Brazil, but the structure is much more diverse. And: much less Robusta is imported.