Market Orientation Guide
A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF TARGETED COFFEE MARKETS
INTRODUCTION
This reference guide is for Congolese coffee cooperatives who want to navigate the global coffee marketplace better and grow their organizations. Many working across the Congolese coffee industry aspire to reach a broader and more sustainable global audience with their product. In support, Élan RDC and Higher Grounds Trading Co. (also one of the founders of Saveur du Kivu) partnered with the leading coffee media company, Perfect Daily Grind (PDG), to realize the DRC Coffee Market Orientation Guide. The partnership built this guide to help producers deepen their understanding of end consumer's needs through buyers’ experience and insights. This means producers are better equipped to deliver products that consumers want and buyers buy.
NORTH AMERICAN MARKET
Surveys and interviews suggest that US buyers’ most popular origins are Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, Guatemala, and Indonesia. Interest in certifications is growing, especially for Fairtrade, UTZ/Rainforest Alliance, and organic certified coffees, particularly throughout the supermarket segment. Quality is a focus, but increasingly, buyers are attracted to sustainability and transparency.
Buyers like to know about the positive impacts their purchases have on the environment and the individuals working along the supply chain. Stories of community development and increased equity can be very compelling; North American coffee drinkers place a high value on their ability to feel connected to coffee cooperatives.
