International Coffee Day - October 1, the annual observance for the world's second-most-traded commodity after crude oil

International Coffee Day on October 1 is the annual sector-wide observance coordinated by the International Coffee Organization (ICO), an intergovernmental body that represents 93% of world coffee production. The day is not a public holiday and carries no UN proclamation; it is an industry-aligned moment used by coffee-producing countries, roasters, cafes, and employers to celebrate coffee and promote sustainable sourcing.

The one-line summary

Annual coffee-sector observance on October 1, coordinated by the International Coffee Organization (ICO) and 75+ national coffee associations. Not a UN day and not a public holiday. First launched in 2014 to celebrate coffee growers and promote sustainable sourcing.

Origin

International Coffee Day was launched in 2014 by the International Coffee Organization, in cooperation with 75+ national coffee associations. The date - October 1 - was chosen to coincide with the start of the new coffee year in many producing countries (Brazil\'s coffee year begins in May/June but the crop year is October to September) and to align with existing national coffee celebrations, including Brazil\'s Dia do Cafe and Colombia\'s Dia Nacional del Cafe.

The first observance in 2014 was small - mostly industry trade press and ICO member-state events. By 2017 it had become a major consumer-facing moment in the US, UK, Germany, Brazil, and Japan. Today the day is celebrated in 100+ countries, with major chains including Starbucks, Costa, Tim Hortons, and Lavazza running branded promotions on or near October 1.

The International Coffee Organization

The International Coffee Organization is an intergovernmental body established in 1963 under the auspices of the United Nations to administer the International Coffee Agreement, a commodity agreement signed by producing and consuming countries. The ICO has 49 member governments, including all major producing countries (Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Ethiopia, Honduras) and most major consuming countries (the EU, the US, Japan, Switzerland, Norway). The ICO\'s secretariat is in London.

The ICO publishes the Coffee Market Report monthly, compiles global production and consumption statistics, and administers the Coffee Sustainability Programmes. The ICO does not set prices; coffee is traded on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) in New York for arabica, and on the LIFFE exchange in London for robusta.

Coffee in global trade

Coffee is the second-most-traded commodity by value after crude oil. Global production in 2024/2025 was estimated at around 175 million 60-kg bags, of which Brazil produced around 35%, Vietnam around 18%, and Colombia around 9%. The European Union is the world\'s largest importing bloc, followed by the United States and Japan. Per-capita consumption is highest in Finland, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, and the Netherlands (all above 9 kg per person per year).

Two species dominate commercial production: Coffea arabica (arabica) accounts for around 60% of production and is grown predominantly in Latin America; Coffea canephora (robusta) accounts for the remainder and is grown predominantly in Africa, Asia, and Vietnam. Arabica tends to be more expensive and more flavour-complex; robusta is more caffeinated and more disease-resistant.

How it is observed

International Coffee Day is observed through industry events, cafe promotions, and social-media campaigns. Coffee-producing countries including Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, Honduras, and Vietnam host cultural events, farm tours, and public tastings. Cafes and roasters in consuming countries offer free or discounted coffee, often with a sustainable-sourcing message. Major chains including Starbucks, Costa, Lavazza, and Tim Hortons have used the day to promote their sustainability commitments.

There are no required rituals. Unlike Eid al-Fitr or Ramadan, International Coffee Day is not ceremonial. The day\'s value to the industry is the aligned global press moment - a single date on which roasters, cafes, and associations can publish sustainability messaging and reach consumers simultaneously.

Coffee by producing country

Brazil: the world\'s largest producer. Brazilian coffee is predominantly arabica, grown in the states of Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo, and Espirito Santo. Brazil has celebrated Dia do Cafe (National Coffee Day) on May 14 since 1926; the date was chosen to commemorate the first coffee harvest in Brazil in 1727.

Vietnam: the world\'s second-largest producer. Vietnamese coffee is predominantly robusta, grown in the Central Highlands. Vietnam\'s rise to number 2 in the 1990s and 2000s reshaped the global robusta market and pushed Brazil to expand arabica production.

Ethiopia: the genetic birthplace of arabica coffee and Africa\'s largest producer. Ethiopian coffee is largely consumed domestically; the country\'s coffee ceremony is one of the most culturally important social rituals in the Horn of Africa.

Colombia: the world\'s third-largest producer. Colombian coffee is exclusively arabica, grown in the Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia (a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011). Colombia\'s coffee-growing axis (eje cafetero) is one of the most photographed rural landscapes in South America.

Legal status

International Coffee Day carries no legal status. No country lists October 1 as a public holiday on the basis of coffee. Coffee-producing countries may celebrate a separate national coffee day (Brazil: May 14; Colombia: June 27; Costa Rica: September 12; Mexico: September 29; Indonesia: August 17) but October 1 is not a statutory holiday anywhere.

Where it is contested

International Coffee Day is broadly uncontested as a sector moment. The most frequent critique from producing countries is that the day\'s focus on consumer-facing cafe campaigns crowds out messaging on farmer pay, deforestation, and climate adaptation. The ICO and Fairtrade International have addressed these critiques by running producer-side events alongside consumer campaigns and by publishing the Coffee Sustainability Curriculum in 2024. Critics in consuming countries have also noted that the day\'s association with major chains can launder brands with contested sustainability records.

International Coffee Day by the numbers

Sources

• International Coffee Organization: ico.org
• ICO International Coffee Day: internationalcoffeeday.org
• Specialty Coffee Association (SCA): sca.coffee
• Fairtrade International: fairtrade.net