Importers of spice in USA: Who are America’s top buyers?

Key takeaways

• LOUIS DRE leads the importers of spice in USA in 2025 at 7.08% share of HS Chapter 09 imports, followed by VOLCAFE (6.46%), ROYAL COFFEE (4.49%), and FALCON COFFEES (3.52%), with the fifth-largest importer (3.14%) available via TradeInt's US spices import database.
• Coffee (HS 0901) anchors 83.21% of US spice imports at US$6.85 billion, with pepper (HS 0904), tea (HS 0902), mixed spices including turmeric and ginger (HS 0910), and cinnamon (HS 0906) filling out the top 5 categories.
• Brazil and Colombia supply 35.22% of all US spice imports at a combined US$2.90 billion, with Switzerland (refining hub), Vietnam (robusta and pepper), and Honduras (Central American arabica) completing the top-5 origin block - all operating under FDA FSMA and ASTA supplier-verification standards that US spice buyers must validate.

Who are the biggest spice buyers in America? Top importers of spices in USA

The top importers of spice in USA in 2025 are LOUIS DRE (7.08% share), VOLCAFE (6.46%), ROYAL COFFEE (4.49%), and FALCON COFFEES (3.52%), sourced from TradeInt's Official US Import Data and Bill of Lading Database. The top 5 US spice buyers collectively command 24.69% of US imports under HS Chapter 09 (coffee, tea, mate, and spices), led by major international green coffee trading houses.

Top 5 US spice buyers in the USA in 2025:

• LOUIS DRE - 7.08% share: A global merchant specializing in agricultural goods and commodity trading.
• VOLCAFE - 6.46% share: A major global company specializing in green coffee trading and sourcing.
• ROYAL COFFEE - 4.49% share: A United States importer specializing in specialty green coffee.
• FALCON COFFEES - 3.52% share: An international green coffee trading company focused on sustainability.

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US spice imports market performance (2025 - 2026)

The US spice imports market entered a tightening price cycle through 2025, defined by elevated commodity values, supply concentration in the coffee category, and intensified regulatory oversight on imported food ingredients.

The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Coffee Semi-annual Report December 2025 reported US coffee bean imports reached 23.4 million bags for the 2024-25 marketing year, with the International Coffee Organization's composite price index nearly tripling over the past several years amid persistent supply tightness.

Price and supply dynamics driving US spice imports

Key market dynamics shaping US spice buyers and US spice imports in 2025-2026:

• Coffee dominates the spice category: Coffee (HS 0901) alone accounted for 83.21% of total US imports under HS Chapter 09 in 2025 at US$6.85 billion, with pepper (HS 0904), tea (HS 0902), ginger and turmeric blends (HS 0910), and cinnamon (HS 0906) rounding out the top 5.
• Arabica price spike: Brazilian Arabica reached a historical CEPEA price high of BRL 2,769.45 (US$480.81) per 60 kg bag on February 12, 2025, with September 2025 prices still averaging US$414.68 per bag, a 50% YoY increase, per USDA FAS.
• ICE warehouse Arabica stocks tightening: The International Coffee Organization Coffee Market Report December 2025 highlighted that certified Arabica stocks held in ICE warehouses in the United States fell to 0.48 million bags in December 2025, down from 0.91 million bags in January 2025, signaling sharply lower buffer inventory.
• Production diversification: Brazil's 2025/26 Arabica crop is forecast down ~13% on drought and heat stress, while Robusta production from Indonesia (+1.7 million bags), Vietnam, and Brazil is expected to reach record levels, supporting blended coffee supply for US commercial roasters.

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Regulatory and industry framework for US spice buyers

On the regulatory side, FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) compliance has become a defining workflow for US spice importers.

FSMA holds US importers accountable for verifying that foreign suppliers implement modern, prevention-oriented food safety practices, with the FDA issuing fresh draft guidance on January 6, 2025 for Low-Moisture Ready-to-Eat (LMRTE) human foods including spices.

Industry body ASTA (American Spice Trade Association), representing 175 member companies, supports about 50,000 direct US spice industry jobs across the US$1.2 trillion food service ecosystem and continues to set technical cleanliness standards used by US regulators.

Demand-side trends and supply-chain shifts

On the demand side, the US spice market continues to expand on retail grocery growth, ethnic cuisine adoption, and the integration of functional spices into wellness products.

Domestic coffee consumption remained stable at approximately 22.67 million bags through 2025, with US per capita consumption holding near 6.4 kg of green coffee annually.

The combination of tightening Arabica inventories, structurally higher commodity prices, and rising freight insurance costs has pushed US importers to favor longer-term contracts over spot buying, blend origins more aggressively, and source increasingly from secondary origin lanes including Indonesia, Ethiopia, and Central American suppliers.

US spice import supply-chain trends from 2025-2026:

• Roaster blending strategies: US commercial roasters are increasingly blending origins to manage cost exposure, with demand for lower-priced Arabica grades rising particularly among commercial-scale buyers managing input cost volatility.
• Specialty channel resilience: Despite price elevation, specialty coffee, premium turmeric blends, cardamom, and single-origin pepper categories continue to attract recurring procurement from US retail and food service operators serving wellness and ethnic-cuisine end-markets.
• Freight cost normalization: Maritime freight and insurance costs for spice imports remained elevated through 2025 but stayed below pandemic-era peaks, supporting predictable inbound logistics planning for major US spice trading houses and food manufacturers.

Which spices are imported to the USA?

The spices most imported to the USA are coffee (HS 0901) at US$6.85 billion (83.21%), pepper including black pepper (HS 0904) at US$627.10 million (7.61%), and tea (HS 0902) at US$282.09 million (3.42%), with mixed spices including ginger, turmeric, saffron, and coriander blends (HS 0910) at US$215.65 million and cinnamon (HS 0906) at US$92.14 million completing the top 5, supplied by TradeInt's verified 2025 import records.

Top 5 spice categories imported to the USA in 2025 (HS Chapter 09):

• HS 0901 - Coffee: US$6.85 billion (83.21%): Drives the US beverage retail, food service, and packaged goods industries.
• HS 0904 - Pepper and peppercorns: US$627.10 million (7.61%): Essential raw material for commercial food processing, manufacturing, and culinary sectors.
• HS 0902 - Tea: US$282.09 million (3.42%): Supports the beverage sector, retail grocery distribution, and wellness product manufacturing.
• HS 0910 - Ginger, turmeric, saffron, mixed spices: US$215.65 million (2.62%): Vital for spice manufacturing, health supplement production, and food sectors.
• HS 0906 - Cinnamon: US$92.14 million (1.12%): Crucial ingredient for commercial baking, confectionery, and flavoring industries.

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The HS 0910 category, covering ginger, turmeric, saffron, cardamom, and curry-style spice blends, has been the fastest-growing 'true spice' segment within US imports through 2025, supported by sustained consumer demand for global cuisine and health-functional ingredients.

IMARC Group's United States spices market analysis, the broader US spices market continues to expand on retail grocery growth, ethnic cuisine adoption, and the integration of spices into wellness product formulations.

Key signals shaping US imports of spices in 2025:

• Black pepper supply concentration: Vietnam continues as the dominant origin for black pepper (HS 0904) within US imports of spices, with the country's southern Vietnam highlands supplying the bulk of Robusta-style coffee and pepper for US commercial food manufacturers.
• Cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, cloves tropical concentration: Essential tropical spices like cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and cloves cannot be cultivated domestically on commercial scale per ASTA, anchoring structural import demand from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and Vietnam.
• Functional spice momentum: Turmeric, cumin, and coriander imports under HS 0910 continue to gain share from supplement, wellness beverage, and ethnic cuisine retail channels, with US health-focused brands driving recurring procurement cycles.

Where does the US import spices from?

The US imports spices most heavily from Brazil at US$1.59 billion (19.34%), Colombia at US$1.31 billion (15.88%), and Switzerland at US$670.66 million (8.14%) in 2025, with Vietnam at US$623.53 million (7.57%) and Honduras at US$515.98 million (6.26%) completing the top 5 origins. The top 5 source countries together absorb 57.19% of US Chapter 09 imports.

Top 5 spice export partners to the US in 2025:

• Brazil - US$1.59 billion (19.34%): Primary supplier of agricultural commodities; ensures volume stability for US commercial coffee brands.
• Colombia - US$1.31 billion (15.88%): Major source of premium Arabica coffee beans; supports the specialty coffee retail sector.
• Switzerland - US$670.66 million (8.14%): Major trade and processing hub exporting high-value, refined coffee products to the US.
• Vietnam - US$623.53 million (7.57%): Key provider of Robusta coffee and pepper; supports cost-effective industrial food manufacturing.
• Honduras - US$515.98 million (6.26%): Significant Central American coffee supplier; diversifies agricultural import supply chains for US buyers.

Brazil's #1 spice origin position reflects both the country's structural role as the world's largest coffee producer and its 2024 record export volumes carried into 2025 invoicing.

According to Daily Coffee News Brazil Coffee Report December 2025, Brazil's total coffee production for 2025/26 is forecasted at 63 million 60-kg bags (down ~3% YoY), with Robusta filling in at a record 25 million bags to offset lower Arabica output. Brazilian export revenues are rising on elevated global prices and strong Robusta demand.

Key signals shaping US spice origin flows in 2025:

• Colombia's resurgence: Stated from Daily Coffee News Colombia Coffee Report December 2025, Colombian shipments to the United States climbed to 5.3 million bags in 2024/25 after five consecutive years of decline, supported by record-high farmgate prices and consistent specialty Arabica demand.
• Switzerland processing hub role: Switzerland's 8.14% share reflects the country's role as a global coffee processing and re-export hub, with Nestlé, Swiss soluble coffee producers, and bulk decaffeination operations supplying high-value refined coffee products into the US retail and food service channels.
• Vietnam dual supply: Vietnam's 7.57% share blends two distinct flows: Robusta coffee for commercial blends (the country is the world's largest Robusta producer) plus black pepper (Vietnam supplies roughly 40% of global black pepper output), making it the single most product-diverse spice origin for US buyers.
• Central American diversification: Honduras at 6.26% reflects the broader Central American coffee belt (Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador) supplying mild-Arabica grades that diversify the US spice import base beyond Brazil-Colombia concentration.

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Conclusion

US spice imports in 2025 are defined by deep coffee concentration (83.21% of HS Chapter 09 by value), a top-5 importer block led by global commodity merchants LOUIS DRE and VOLCAFE, and an origin mix anchored by Brazil and Colombia coffee flows. FSMA compliance, ASTA standards, and tightening Arabica inventories will shape the next procurement cycle for every US spice buyer.

Explore past US HS 09 importing record by HS code on TradeInt.

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