Coffee Intelligence Round-Up July 7th

Our coverage includes emerging market trends, challenges at origin, technological innovation, and human interest stories.

Consumption & Trends

Specialty coffee roasters have long been known for passion and artistry rather than spreadsheets.

Amid record arabica prices – $4.40 per pound – instinct-driven specialty roasters are facing a harsh reckoning. Born in a post-2008 passion boom, roasters now find passion alone can’t pay the bills.

Sarah Charles speaks with Aaron Jordan (Roast Coffee House) about how data blindness in cost of goods and cash flow threatens to turn roasters’ greatest strength – passion – into their greatest weakness.

News & Opinions

Specialty coffee is grappling with a record-breaking year on the cost front. Arabica futures climbed to around $4.41 per pound in early 2025 – a level never seen before – and have remained volatile since, transforming the coffee landscape.

Specialty coffee faces an identity crisis, as Gen Z consumers trade third wave for customisable iced beverages. Private equity and consolidation are reshaping the sector, putting pressure on independent actors.

Sarah Charles asks Ricardo V. Pereira (Purity Coffee) about what he perceives as the main challenges this year so far.

In a familiar refrain, The J.M. Smucker Company – the parent of Folgers, Dunkin’ at Home and Café Bustelo – is preparing yet another round of retail coffee price increases this August.

Smucker’s will hike coffee prices for the fourth time in a year after posting a $729m quarterly loss. Retailers are pushing back: JDE Peet’s brands have been delisted in parts of Europe. Roast-and-ground coffee consumption in North America and Europe fell 3.8% last year while prices climbed 4.6%.

Sarah Charles speaks with Brian Numainville, Principal of The Feedback Group, about how far retail prices can go before breaking point.

What else is brewing

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