In the early months of this year, the coffee industry has had to turn the lion’s share of its focus to green coffee prices. The C-Price is shorthand for the benchmark price of green Arabica coffee, traded on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) in New York (also known as Coffee C Futures). As any exchange traded commodity, it is determined by supply and demand of a given commodity.
In the coffee industry, we have seen the C-Price spike to as high as $4.30/lb in early February, and as of writing in early March, it sits at $3.84/lb… This time last year, it peaked at $1.88/lb.
A number of factors have contributed to this historic increase, but it should be noted that uncertainty is principal among them. Drought and frosts in Brazil (the worldwide leader in coffee production), the ever-looming presence of climate change, supply chain disruptions, and never-ceasing demand by consumers have resulted in a historic price-spike that has the industry reeling.
In the US, we also face hefty tariffs levelled against many important trading partners, not just in coffee. Whether or not the 25% blanket tariffs hold, the fact that coffee producers, in countries like Mexico and Colombia, are subject to these is of great concern in our industry.
For us at Tenfold, this is a time when our endeavors to sustain healthy relationships with our producing partners come to the fore. This is no different than the reality of a great many specialty coffee companies, who have the same goals. Our long-term commitments to our partners in Brazil, El Salvador, Mexico, etc. cannot be compromised, and we find ourselves buying at nearly a 20% markup for the same green coffee from these same producers.
Unfortunately for traders, roasters, and cafés who emphasize long-term partnerships, these record prices must be passed onto consumers who enjoy the end result of this global trade. For us, this has meant a recent $1.00/lb increase in our pricing for blends at wholesale.
We know this is a difficult time for all of us in the specialty coffee industry, but our promise is to quality and sustainability at both ends of the supply chain. As we adapt to the changing market, we must not falter in our desire to deliver on fair and honest trading, quality in roasting, and support to our café partners.
For further resources/perspective, please visit the following links!
https://sprudge.com/tracking-coffee-prices-with-the-specialty-coffee-transaction-guide-283787.html
https://www.investing.com/commodities/us-coffee-c
https://perfectdailygrind.com/2025/02/coffee-prices-record-highs-roasters/