Publications: 

• Coffee – An exporter’s guide is often referred to as ITC’s Coffee Guide – Second edition from 2002. 330 pages. Available in English, French and Spanish. The publication covers trade issues relevant to coffee growers, traders, exporters, transportation companies, certifiers, associations, authorities and others in coffee producing countries. It is probably the world’s most extensive and neutral source of information on international trade of coffee.   
• Guide to Geographical Indications – Linking Products and their Origins, a 220-page publication from 2009, including detailed case studies with coffee as the most prominent product. With only 10% of the world’s protected geographical indications coming from developing countries, there is great potential to use this tool to reduce poverty through trade.  This is the first book targeted to the business sector in developing countries on this topic.  It draws from eight case studies and 200 published reports to provide valuable insights on how to set up and monitor geographical indications, share costs and benefits, and interpret legal frameworks..  Available from ITC’s e-shop in English, French and Spanish. Alternatively, you can download the PDFs for free here: English - French - Spanish 

Technical Papers:

• The Coffee Sector in China, September 2010.  A 25-page overview of production, export, import, processing and consumption. China is both an exporter and importer of green coffee and roasted coffee. The quantities produced and consumed are modest in a global context: China produces some 40,000 tons of green coffee annually (0.5% of world production). Annual consumption is some 30,000 tons (0.025 kg per capita) - a small quantity but it is growing, especially among China’s expanding urban middle class. This report comprises information on coffee production, export, import, processing and consumption in China. In addition to traditional data on the past, the present and some projections, the report also describes:
  • Special import regulations
  • packaging, marketing and labelling requirements
  • specific domestic business practices
  • data on coffee niche markets
  • foreign trade relations influence
  • types of coffee traded
  • and countries of origin of the coffees imported.
   
• Climate Change and the Coffee Industry, February 2010. This 30-page paper is based on Chapter 13 of the Coffee Guide. It has been used at several seminars and workshops on Climate/Coffee incl. EAFCA-2010.

Articles and reports:

• Women in the Coffee Sector. A survey on women’s role in the coffee sector in coffee producing countries with focus and statistics on (i) employment, (ii) ownership and (iii) national associations and groups. The survey has been copied in several coffee magazines around the world and used as a reference at international coffee conferences. From: ITC's quarterly magazine International Trade Forum, 3&4, 2008  
• The World's First Internet Coffee Auction. Origin of the Cup of Excellence programme,  From: ITC's quarterly magazine International Trade Forum, 3/2000  The World's First Internet Coffee Auction  Success
• Gourmet Coffee Makes Premium Prices Online. Four years after its launch, a review of the Cup of Excellence programme.  From: ITC's quarterly magazine International Trade Forum. (3/2003) 
• Bitter or Better Future for Coffee Producers? This article explains why several of the values in coffee (roasting, blending, grinding, packing, etc) cannot easily be added in coffee producing countries. The article elaborates on many of the obstacles for coffee producers and exporters with some suggestions for solutions. From ITC's quarterly magazine Forum, 2/2004 

Presentations:

• Standards and labels.  WTO, 9 July 2009. Six slides on coffee, including an overview of sustainability schemes.
• Coffee sector case stories in ITC. UNCTAD, 14 December 2009. 18 slides on quality issues, sustainability and women.

Mapping the World of Coffee:

A traditional worldmap shows the size of each country according to land area. Countries like Australia, Canada and the Russian Federation are huge whereas, for example, Honduras, Uganda and Cote d’Ivoire are relatively small. Worldmapper is a vast collection of worldmaps based on parameters other than land area. ITC and Worldmapper have jointly developed two maps showing the world according to production and consumption of coffee. The two worldmaps show at a glance that the largest producers are Brazil, Viet Nam and Colombia (combined accounting for around 60% of world production). We also see how consumption is highest in Northern Europe (almost 10 kg per capita per year on average). Brazilians are also large consumers with 5 kg, i.e. more than the Americans at 4 kg.

You can use the Q&A to look up the answers to questions like:
Q&A 032: How to approach potential buyers?  or
Q&A 142: What is the function of the ‘middlemen’ in the coffee chain – and are they necessary?

For people who want to sell coffee.
You may find ITC’s work on Exporting Better of interest, however, ITC coffee team does not offer marketing services or names/addresses of coffee buyers or sellers. If you are looking for this specifically, here are links to coffee associations in consuming countries and, indirectly, their membership:

• European Coffee Federation (ECF) 
• Coffee Association, USA (GCA) 
• Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) 
• Specialty Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) 
• All Japan Coffee Association (AJCA) 

Note also that "F.O. Licht's World Coffee & Tea Yearbook" (revised annually) provides an extensive contact list of around 5,000 coffee and tea companies in some 100 coffee and tea producing countries, including statistics and analysis on individual country exports and imports. For information on how to procure the book, visit www.agra-net.com. A free but less extensive source of addresses can be found at www.teaandcoffee.net (go to: ukers/information). A directory of exporters and importers is also available at www.coffeeandcocoa.net.

Understanding the structure and evolution of international markets is essential for both firms and trade support institutions (TSIs). Firms scanning the world market for opportunities to diversify products and markets, as well as suppliers, and TSIs setting priorities in terms of trade promotion, sector performance, partner countries, and trade development strategies must have detailed statistical information on international trade flows in order to utilize resources effectively. Strategic market research based on such information helps them gauge the competitiveness of national and sector specific trade performance as well as identify priority products and markets for trade development.

ITC’s Market Analysis Research (MAR) team produces and disseminates market research and trade analysis for TSIs and the business community in developing countries and transition economies. MAR offers in-depth analysis of international trade flows and the development of analytical tools for market analysis and trade promotion, as well as training activities. For further information please contact the MAR team directly.

Past Projects – some examples:

• Workshops and consultations in more than 30 countries
• In-company training of 120 people from producing countries
• The Gourmet Coffee Project (1997-2000), which took place in Brazil, Burundi, Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea and Uganda, outlined how to develop exports of quality coffees with a potential for higher prices. The project was developed in cooperation with the International Coffee Organization (ICO) and financed by the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC). It tested many new methods of producing, processing and marketing gourmet coffees. The project included the world’s first Internet coffee auction which took place in Brazil in 1999 and led to the Cup of Excellence ® competition and auction programme,  used in many countries.
• Coffee – An exporter’s guide (1992 and 2002) A 330-page publication on trade issues relevant for coffee growers, traders, exporters, transportation companies, associations, authorities and others in coffee producing countries. One of ITC’s most demanded publications – often referred to as The Coffee Guide.  The guide can be ordered at ITC’s e-shop or accessed online in English, French and Spanish.
• 4C in Africa (2008-2009). ITC provided training (using the Coffee Guide book and website) to the Eastern African Fine Coffee Association (EAFCA)  and the Common Code for the Coffee Community (4C) during the introduction of the 4C sustainability scheme in several countries in Africa. 

Ongoing projects - Global coffee projects:

• The Coffee Guide Website was launched in 2005, based on ITC’s Coffee – An exporter’s guide. Its 500 text boxes are regularly updated and the website includes an inter-active Q&A service which has posted over 200 detailed answers – all of it in English, French and Spanish.

National and regional coffee projects:

• Ethiopia: Establishment of seven large coffee quality laboratories in coffee producing areas. The project will improve quality, consistency and traceability of different coffees in order to meet market demands. ITC provides support to equipment, cupping training and marketing activities.
• Eastern Africa: Establishment of women/coffee associations in six countries in cooperation with the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) and Eastern African Fine Coffees Association (EAFCA).
• Cameroon: Design of a national export strategy and subsequent implementation of selected components of it.
• Uganda: Institutional strengthening and export development of national coffee organizations (UEPB and UCDA) and NUCAFE cooperatives.
• Central Africa: Development of a regional export strategy for nine countries in the Economic Community of Central African States.

Project Donors:

The Government of Switzerland, through the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) have helped fund;

• The Ethiopian Coffee Quality Improvement Programme, setting up seven coffee quality labs with equipment and training (2002-2010).
• Operation and promotion of the website and its Q&A service (2004-2005).
• Support, through ITC, of the establishment of the 4C coffee scheme – using ITC’s Coffee Guide for training (2005-2006).

The Government of Denmark, through the Danish International Development Assistance (DANIDA).

• The Coffee Guide. Development, publishing and dissemination (1992)
• The Coffee Guide. Development, publishing and dissemination (2002)
• Development of the Coffee Guide website (2003-2005)

The coffee trading house Efico sa/bv, Belgium.

• Translations of The Coffee Guide (2002/2003).

The Government of Norway:

• The Coffee Guide (1992)

The Government of The Netherlands, through the Centre for Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI):

• The Coffee Guide (1992)
• Training and other support to the introduction of the 4C sustainability scheme  in Eastern African countries in cooperation with the Eastern African Fine Coffees Association (EAFCA) (2008-2009)
• Uganda Coffee Export Development Project (NTF II)(2010 – 2013)

The Government of Canada, through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)

• Development of a regional strategy for production and export of coffee in the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) including implementation of coffee sector projects in nine of its ten member countries (2010-2013)