I haven't had Venezuelan coffee since I first started working with roasters back in the mid-2000s. That's twenty years. And now I have some again. It's on the shelf for the first time at CR Coffee.
Venezuela used to be one of the biggest coffee producers in the world. In the early 1900s, it was a top-three exporter globally. But decades of economic shifts changed that. The country pivoted hard toward oil. Government price controls squeezed farmers starting in 2003. Eventually, sanctions and a lack of agricultural investment made Venezuelan coffee nearly impossible to source in the United States. Production collapsed. For most American roasters, Venezuelan beans simply disappeared from the supply chain.
What's Been Happening in the Coffee Market
Tariffs have thrown a major wrench into the coffee supply chain. While the tariffs have been removed and things are hopefully getting better, they certainly haven't returned to normal. It's going to take a while to repair the damage done when that wrench hit the machinery. I talked about it in the Wall Street Journal last year. The pressure on small specialty roasters is real, and it hasn't fully let up.
And yes, it takes oil to move coffee around the planet, but that's not the biggest reason the big oil question mark at the moment is hanging heavy over the coffee market. Coffee is the number two traded commodity on the planet behind oil. So as that market is in turmoil, commodity traders will inevitably make moves into the coffee market. Moves that could be completely unrelated to the coffee supply itself.
In the middle of all that disruption, and as geopolitics continue to change, something unexpected happened. Venezuelan coffee started showing back up.
Venezuela's Coffee Comeback
Venezuelan coffee exports grew over 500% from 2024 levels. Imagine that, huh? The country's production is approaching its historical peak, and for the first time in years, quality Venezuelan Arabica is available through US import channels.
It's a small but growing volume. Venezuela exported around 150,000 bags last year and is expected to clear 200,000 this year. That's still a fraction of what Colombia or Brazil ships, but for a country that was essentially off the map for specialty coffee, it's significant.
The beans we're serving come from the Sanare region in the state of Lara, grown at 1,300 to 2,500 meters elevation. It's 100% Arabica, a blend of Caturra and Cutuai varieties. Like most coffee, it's hand-picked, and this one is washed. The flavor profile is my personal jam: sweet caramel, cocoa, and just ever so slight fruity notes with a clean finish.
Why I'm Excited About This Coffee
I've been roasting and sourcing coffee for over twenty years. I've cupped thousands of samples. When I tasted this Venezuelan lot, it reminded me of the best qualities of two origins I already love. Panama is my favorite coffee in the world. Colombian is a staple for a reason. It's balanced, reliable, and rich. Venezuelan coffee sits right in that neighborhood, but it's sweeter than both.
No matter the political reasonings, I really love sharing great coffees, and this flavor profile is one I lost in our lineup a long time ago.
Available Now
The Venezuelan single origin is available now at all CR Coffee locations. Twelve-ounce bags, whole bean, roasted fresh on our antique 1910s Royal No. 6 drum roasters. Come in and try it, or order online. It won't last forever. When it's gone, I honestly don't know when we'll see the next lot. It's like trying to predict anything else in the world today, I guess.