Australia taps into Japan's discovery of coffee

No thanks to tea … younger Japanese people prefer a bit more caffeine.
Photo: Reuters

Japan's tea ceremony, and the mystical aura that surrounds it, is giving way to the smell of fresh roasted beans and the mastery of the barista.

Young Japanese are choosing to retreat to coffee shops rather than tea houses, and sipping cappuccino, and more than likely, indulging in a bit of cheesecake.

It is a lifestyle shift that is frothing up the hopes of the dairy industry in Australia and Japan as both sides prepare for talks in Tokyo on Thursday and Friday.

The coffee drinking trend has swept through Japan's beverage market, underpinning fresh milk sales and creating a new market for Australian powdered milk, according to dairy companies.

So there you have it - Japan is finally getting it as far as coffee goes, just when Australians are beginning to understand the benefits of Japanese Green teas...!

Source: SMH