The relationship between Italy and Brazil in the field of coffee is truly long-standing. In the early 1900s, Italians drank almost exclusively Brazilian coffee. Even today, the link between the two countries is very close: in 2019 Italy with 10 million bags was the third country in the world to buy Brazilian coffee after the United States (21 million) and Germany (12 million). Beyond commercial relations, it must also be considered that between 1880 and 1930 as many as 1.5 million Italians emigrated to Brazil and today there is therefore a very strong emotional bond between the two countries.
Brazilian coffee has certainly influenced the culture of Italian espresso in a decisive way. It is the basis of almost all the blends produced in Italy. The full roasting of this coffee supports the color of the espresso cream which thus tends to nutty. Furthermore, it is relevant in obtaining the round body characteristic of the Italian tradition. Lastly, it has a fundamental role in giving the cup roasted and chocolate notes.
The Italian coffee market remains strongly linked to the concept of blend. A single origin alone never manages to achieve the complexity desired by the Italian customer. Yet, Brazilian coffee, being so present in Italian culture, is currently perhaps the only one that the Italian customer could drink alone without missing the blend.
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