Coffee without origin – What you're drinking when there's nothing on the package

Most coffee roasters do not disclose where their raw coffees come from. Instead, communication is dominated by brand names or emotions. The fact is: almost all roasters buy and roast the same raw coffees as everyone else. We give you tips on how you can still get an idea of what you're drinking.

When we conducted our second tasting of Italian espresso, we noticed how hardly any roastery declared the origin of the coffees they used. Instead, there was talk of "balanced blends" and "carefully selected" raw coffees.

And this is not an isolated case.

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

Many forego transparent origin information. No country, no region, no farm, no processing method. Why exactly?

Why the origin is not disclosed

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 standard practice. As long as the coffee tastes the same, coffees are swapped out. Especially in times like now, when prices have risen sharply, blends are remixed to compensate for price increases.

Sensorially, there must be no deviation, but in terms of content, especially the constantly available blends look different again and again. 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 both coffees is similar, with nutty and citric notes taking center stage.

These coffees are often described as "cheap acidity components" - at least before November 2024, before prices rose sharply. Additionally, Honduras is on the northern hemisphere and Peru on the southern hemisphere, so harvest times are staggered. Ideally, there is always fresh coffee from these countries, which makes substitution even easier, but especially increases procurement flexibility.

Branding takes center stage – not the content

We are repeatedly amazed by a brand self-understanding that apparently trumps transparency. There are roasters that do provide a blend ratio based on the species used, Arabica and Robusta in most cases.

For example, we then read "100% Arabica" – if we used only this specification for wine, it would be as precise as: 100% wine from red grapes. Surely we can do better.

But we find this description even more superficial: coffee with "the finest beans from the finest growing regions in the world". This is not only overly simplified marketing speak, but above all it is surprisingly anachronistic in 2025 and leaves consumers in the dark.

No accountability to consumers

Neither Switzerland nor the EU requires that the exact origin (country, region) or variety, cultivar, or processing method be indicated on the coffee package, as long as no misleading information is provided.

However, if an origin is voluntarily stated, it must be correct. It is permissible to name a higher-level geographic 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, then correctly and not misleadingly. The EUDR deforestation regulation that comes into effect in 2026 does require transparency, but only between the economic operator and 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 have to be on the packaging for end customers, and it is unlikely that any roaster will handle it that way.

What we can still know

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

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

This is hardly surprising because Brazil and Vietnam are the largest coffee-producing countries. Brazil produced 66.4 million 60kg bags of coffee, Vietnam 30.1 million. Or put differently: Brazil produced 38% and Vietnam 17% of global coffee supply. They are followed by Colombia with 7% and Indonesia with 6% (see statistics).

Coffees from Brazil and Vietnam are therefore used almost universally 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 from the European Coffee Report, we can read a great deal.

Germany imported the most coffee of the 27 EU states; from 2021-2023 it was almost 34% of all imports to the EU. Some of the largest roasters like Tchibo, Dallmayr and co. are in Germany and purchase coffee. Italy is the second-largest importer and purchased 23.5% of all raw coffees into the EU during the same period. Belgium, Spain, and the Netherlands follow.

The largest importers in the EU

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

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

Cutting costs on raw coffee – a "race to the bottom"

This graph is particularly interesting, as it says much about the competitive pressure between coffee roasters. From 2021-23 we see a sharp decline in imports of Brazilian coffee and a sharp increase in coffee from Vietnam on the other side.

What does this mean?

Since the vast majority of Arabica coffees from Brazil are imported into the EU, these were apparently replaced with Robusta from Vietnam. And because the latter became increasingly cheaper over the same period, it is clear that here not only the sensory aspect was adjusted, but above all the costs.

But today it looks different: Robusta became more expensive and is now twice as expensive as Arabica from Brazil in 2023. Compared to that, Robusta is still cheaper today.

If nothing is stated on the package, the probability is very high that the roasted coffee comes to a large extent from Brazil and Vietnam.

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

In Uganda, over 70% Robusta is produced and exported - so it is also likely here that it is partly for price reasons that Uganda is so important for the EU market. On the other hand, we see many more organically certified cooperatives in Uganda. Therefore: organically certified Robusta in Germany comes largely from Uganda.

Mass-market vs. specialty

The import data also shows: countries like Ethiopia, Guatemala, Mexico, or Costa Rica also export to the EU. However, in significantly smaller quantities, and often for the specialty market.

What makes coffee from these countries special?

Ethiopia

• is famous for floral and fruity coffees. In Ethiopia, coffees are divided by 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 taste characteristics
• often just a few percent in a blend is enough for the coffee to smell different in aroma and stand out from the crowd

Peru, Honduras, Mexico

• are among the leading exporters of double-certified (organic and fair trade) coffee. They are typically washed, citric coffees, and are often substituted

But: what about Colombia, as the third-largest coffee producer?

Switzerland in comparison

The graph from the Swiss Sustainable Coffee Platform shows: even in Switzerland, most coffee comes from Brazil, but the structure is much more diverse. And: significantly less Robusta is imported.