Investing in Cuban Coffee

Last week, Barack Obama and Raúl Castro posed for photographers in an effort to show an easing of tensions that date back to the Cold War.

As cynical as I tend to be, I must admit that I actually enjoyed watching the two sitting side by side, separated only by a table instead of 90 miles of shark-infested ocean. It offered a bit of reassurance to the millions of folks who have longed to see the United States and Cuba kiss and make up.

But personally, I’m less interested in photo-ops and more interested in progress. After all, with the easing of tensions between the two nations, the opportunities for peace, human rights, and wealth creation are enormous.

A few weeks ago, I actually chimed in on this very issue, writing:

…with the thawing of relations in Cuba will come an influx of U.S. dollars, U.S. influence, and a wave of opportunities for those who are eager to invest.

Since that article, I’ve received a number of emails from readers who wanted to know where I saw the greatest opportunity. Was it for U.S. agriculture? U.S. technology? U.S. retail?

While the opportunities in these areas are tremendous — not just for U.S. companies, but for the good people of Cuba who will be able to benefit from these imports — I’m actually more interested in something a lot of folks aren’t really talking about…

We know what the U.S. has to offer in terms of exports. But what about Cuba?

A Taste of Cuba

I couldn’t be happier to know that U.S. companies will soon be able to do a significant amount of business in Cuba. But I’m equally happy about the possibility for the Cuban people to benefit from what has long been an untapped market for its exports.

As trade barriers begin to crumble, there will be a number of export opportunities for Cuba. However, there’s one in particular I’m extremely bullish on: coffee.

Now first, I have to come clean…

I’m a total coffee snob.

I’ll drink inferior coffee in a pinch, but for the most part, I’ll only drink what I roast myself.

I order my coffee from a couple of different specialty coffee distributors that can get me the freshest beans pretty much anywhere in the world — except for Cuba.

Now, understand that Cuban coffee isn’t just a type of bean — it’s an actual process. There’s a certain way to make it. So sure, you can get what’s called “Cuban coffee,” but typically the beans come from other countries. It’s just prepared as Cuban coffee, which can still be pretty damn good, particularly in Miami’s walk-up windows where old Cubans and sunburned hipsters alike belly up to the counter and sip what’s often described as a molasses-sweet espresso.

But I’m a purist. I want access to real Cuban beans. And I’m not alone.

You see, despite what you might think, coffee culture in the United States is not monopolized by K-cups and caramel lattes. In fact, more and more we’re seeing a steady growth in demand for high-quality specialty coffee.

According to the Specialty Coffee Association (yes, such an organization exists), the retail value of the specialty coffee market in the U.S. comes in at about $15 billion. That’s a lot of scratch… and a hell of a lot of high-priced beans.

Now, Cuba’s coffee industry has struggled for decades, but it really took a hit in 2009 in what has been called the worst coffee harvest on record — just 5,500 tons. Compare that to the 60,000 tons Cuba harvested from the 1940s to the early 1960s.

Some had suggested the island nation import $40 million worth of coffee to make up for the shortfall, but it was just too expensive to do so. Now, the government is looking to increase production at home.

Inviting a thirsty, caffeine-addicted nation of Americans to try Cuban coffee can certainly help make that happen, particularly when so many coffee drinkers in the U.S. are willing to spend big bucks for specialty coffee.

It wouldn’t take more than a couple of very smart distributors and a handful of high-end retailers to help the Cuban people revitalize their once-vibrant coffee industry. In fact, I’ve even spoken to a few of these business owners here in the States, and all are salivating to be among the first to bring quality, sustainably-grown Cuban coffee to their customers.

Huge Returns

Cuba could also benefit immensely from a revitalization of its coffee industry simply out of necessity.

Extreme weather conditions and geopolitical events in Africa have put a lot of pressure on coffee producers there. Recent droughts, civil wars, and health scares actually sent coffee futures to record highs last year.

Although coffee futures have stabilized a bit since then, a continued increase in demand in Asia, coupled with the fact that extreme weather conditions and war are unlikely to relent anytime soon, means Cuba has an excellent opportunity to restore its coffee industry to greatness at a time when coffee shortages are inevitable.

Also consider the extremely short distance this coffee would have to travel compared to the higher-end beans coming from Ethiopia and Brazil — the latter actually being the biggest producer in the world.

The conditions are favorable for a rebirth of Cuban coffee, assuming these conditions maintain a certain level of credibility where the coffee is grown in a sustainable manner.

Typically this isn’t a problem when it comes to the higher-end coffee retailers, as this is what the consumer wants and something for which it is willing to pay top dollar.

I have no doubt that U.S. consumers — especially high-end coffee drinkers — will embrace real Cuban coffee. And I have no doubt that those who invest responsibly in Cuba’s coffee industry will enjoy huge returns, both from a monetary perspective and from an ethical one.

To a new way of life and a new generation of wealth…

Jeff Siegel

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Jeff is the founder and managing editor of Green Chip Stocks. For more on Jeff, go to his editor’s page.

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