Global food and drink exporters are increasingly turning to China after the United States imposed sweeping tariffs on a wide range of imports, industry brokers and traders told the BBC.
The moves follow a series of US duties that President Donald Trump has said will create American jobs, boost the US economy and increase federal revenues. Critics and market participants warn the measures could instead redirect suppliers away from the US and push up prices for American shoppers.
Brazil, the world's largest coffee producer, was hit with a 50% US import tax — among the highest tariffs imposed by Washington. Traders said the duty makes the US a far less attractive destination for Brazilian exporters, prompting a scramble to find buyers elsewhere.
"China has now become a shining light for Brazil's coffee exporters," supply chain specialist Hugo Portes said. "If the tariffs are meant to weaken Brazil, in reality, it is pushing sellers closer to China."
Agricultural brokers told the BBC they have seen a surge in interest from exporters around the world in doing more business with China. In Brazil's case, exporters are looking for buyers for millions of bags of coffee that had been earmarked for US roasters, they said. Traders and industry analysts pointed to China's rapidly growing café culture and its large consumer market as drawcards.
Market participants said the tariff-driven shift is not limited to coffee. Food and beverage suppliers across several countries have explored alternative markets in recent weeks after Washington announced higher duties on a broad set of goods. Brokers described a rising volume of inquiries from producers seeking to redirect shipments to Asia, particularly China.
Economists warn that altering established trade flows can have broader effects on supply chains, pricing and logistics. Shippers and processors that have long served US customers may face higher costs and delays as they pivot to new routes and partners. That could translate into higher retail prices for American consumers, analysts said.
The US administration has defended the tariffs as necessary to protect domestic industries and to correct what it calls unfair trade practices. Officials say the measures are designed to strengthen US manufacturing and farming by encouraging companies to source and invest more at home.
But exporters and brokers say the immediate consequence appears to be a redirection of trade toward markets that remain more open to imports. China, with its expanding middle class and urban coffee consumption, has emerged as an attractive alternative for suppliers of coffee, wine, fruit juices and other beverages.
Industry sources emphasized that shifting buyers is not always straightforward. Contracts, shipping arrangements and quality specifications must be renegotiated, and some producers face short-term losses as they seek new market access. Nevertheless, traders said the pace of enquiries to China has quickened markedly.
Analysts said the longer tariffs remain in place, the greater the likelihood that permanent trade patterns will evolve. That could reduce the US share of certain agricultural markets even if tariffs are later eased. For now, exporters, brokers and logistics firms are adapting to a trade landscape that many describe as more uncertain and more Asia-oriented than before.