The National Coffee Association (NCA) has formally requested that the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) exclude unflavored instant coffee from a new round of proposed tariffs. The request was made during recent testimony regarding trade disputes with Brazil and broader concerns about forced labor in global supply chains.
The proposed tariffs stem from two distinct Section 301 proceedings. One involves potential 25% duties on Brazilian goods over various trade practices, while the other addresses imports from numerous economies deemed to have inadequate enforcement against forced labor. While the USTR's proposed exclusion lists already cover green, decaffeinated, and roasted coffee, they currently omit bulk instant coffee, a significant import category for the United States.
In its testimony, the NCA highlighted that imported unflavored instant coffee constitutes over 80% of the U.S. supply and is a key ingredient for manufacturers of extracts, cold brew, and ready-to-drink beverages. The association argued that imposing tariffs would negatively impact a market serving nearly 30 million American consumers daily and disrupt the value-added manufacturing sector that relies on the ingredient.