DrZeus Senior Member Joined: 8 Sep 2002 Posts: 64 Location: Portugal Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Mon Jan 27, 2003, 10:22am Subject: "speciality coffee" industry in Portugal
I'm wondering if there's anybody who knows the current state of the coffee industry in Portugal. Are there local roasters, or do they import it? What's the mentality of coffee drinkers there? I understand that the coffee is generally quite good there, and going to cafe's and such is part of their normal life...any other information would be greatly appreciated.
Pongo Senior Member Joined: 11 Feb 2003 Posts: 1 Expertise: Beginner
Posted Tue Feb 11, 2003, 8:28pm Subject: Re: "speciality coffee" industry in Portugal
Ok, I'm not a coffee expert, but I'm from Portugal, and all Portuguese tend to be coffee experts!
Here coffee houses are a regular meeting point for people of all ages and at any time of the day or early night, and we only know one kind of drink: the espresso (also known as café, bica or cimbalino). So, although the traditional fine-coffee-expert country is Italy, they invented a hole lot of variations for one single drink. In Portugal we just don't get that: coffee IS espresso, and that's it!
Even McDonald's changed its "the-same-wherever-you-are" policy. Although now it is an international thing, Portugal was the first country to have a McCafe, although here it's just a small counter inside the restaurants. They serve espressos in porcelain cups rather than the regular McDonald's coffee cups, along with American muffins and brownies and Portuguese "pastéis de nata" (you have to taste it to believe it!).
A study in 2001 concluded that 88% of Portuguese drink coffee, and 80% of those drink more than one each day! This means more than fifteen million espressos each day, in a country that has a population of only ten million. It is almost a ritual. Also it is cheap: you pay around $0.50 or less!
About the industry, there are a lot of Portuguese brands (Delta, Nicola, Chave D'Ouro, Tofa, Torrié, Sical, Buondi) and they all roast here, after importing the beans. Historically, Portugal was connected with Africa and Brazil, so we import mainly from these areas. Now multinationals are introducing in our market brands like Segafredo, Lavazza and others, but their quota is still small. We tend to deffend our own stuff!
Well, I'm sorry I can't help you more, but I'm not an industry insider. But at least you can get the idea that coffee (or café, or bica, or cimbalino) is a cultural thing!
DrZeus Senior Member Joined: 8 Sep 2002 Posts: 64 Location: Portugal Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Wed Feb 12, 2003, 12:02am Subject: Re: "speciality coffee" industry in Portugal
Thanks for the reply! We're going to be moving to Faro in a couple of months. Where do you live? Do you think I can get your email address so I can possibly "pick your brain" a little more about it?
Posted Sat Apr 26, 2003, 8:30am Subject: Re: "speciality coffee" industry in Portugal
"pastéis de nata"
Now you've got me running to my local Portuguese Bakery! I just love these, its great that Toronto has such a large Protuguese community so that these are easy to find here.
When i was a kid, if my mom ever brought these home for a treat they woud disapear in a matter of 5mins!
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