February 2011
5 posts
Why We're Paying More for Coffee
Green Coffee Prices are up (and going up and up and up). Below find a link sharing some of the whys. For the most part the increases are for positive reasons.
The green coffee we source and roast at Ristretto has been improving in terms of quality and appeal year on year with farmers receiving increased reward for their work. It’s fair and fortunate and this will hopefully also lead to growth in the availability of outstanding coffees and sustainable farming of quality coffee. We’re happy for this.
We think the greatest concern around price increases is the affect on “the average” coffee in the street. Why? How? Simple fact: with green coffee prices going up many coffee roasters and their retailer customers will not spend more $ on green to maintain the quality they are used to; many will only pay the same $ as now for coffee of a lesser quality. It’s a sad fact. Additionally, there are fewer “good deals” around in the market that would see quality maintained at current prices.
A price increase at street/ retail level may be taken as a positive sign; that you’re receiving the same quality, great tasting, fair and sustainable coffee.
Be aware of opportunists that increase price for lesser quality beans (unbeknown to them or not) or those who start to shoot our “bargain” pricing. On that note it may be a good idea, and timely, to focus closely on your own cup quality experience understanding of good/ bad coffee cup tastes and standards!
At Ristretto (and Howard Street Coffee) we are truly focused on what coffee is and can be and will be stepping up our public coffee cuppings to assist you to perhaps discover or confirm what this means.
And no, Ristretto is not increasing prices right now. Though there is increasing pressure, we’ve grown used to absorbing increases.
Ristretto Cup pricing (if using our Customer Value Card, approx)
Small $3.01
Med/ Reg $3.70
Large $5.16
(makes us laugh when we hear Perth coffee prices are too high!)
