Coffee is an important commodity and a popular beverage. Over 2.25 billion cups of coffee are consumed in the world every day. Over 90% of coffee production takes place in developing countries, while consumption happens mainly in the industrialized economies.
Worldwide, 25 million small producers rely on coffee for a living[citation needed]. For instance, in Brazil alone, where almost a third of all the world's coffee is produced, over 5 million people are employed in the cultivation and harvesting of over 3 billion coffee plants[citation needed]; it is a much more labour-intensive culture than alternative cultures[citation needed] of the same regions as sugar cane or cattle, as it is not subject to automation[citation needed] and requires constant attention.
Coffee is also bought and sold as a commodity on the New York Board of Trade. This is where coffee futures contracts are traded, which are a financial asset involving a standardized contract for the future sale or purchase of a unit of coffee at an agreed price. The world's largest transfer point for coffee is the port of Hamburg, Germany.[citation needed]