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As with many other commodities, the price of coffee is rising. The fault in particular of poor harvests of the world’s largest exporter, Brazil. And in the end, it is the consumer who pays more. RFI met a roaster in Paris
Report by Louis Augry
Laurent Boucher-Guillaume has no real choice but to increase the price of some of his coffees sold in beans: ” Our mocha from Ethiopia for example, he took a euro “. In his roastery, he roasts the coffee himself, in front of his customers. And since last summer, he has been buying his much more expensive products from his supplier: It is green coffee that is transformed into roasted coffee. On purchase, our product took between 10 and 40% ».
Blame it on a particularly severe frost period in Brazil, the world’s largest exporter. It is the entry-level coffee that is experiencing the strongest increases, of 40%, and behind the small producers are adapting: “ When they saw the unsorted coffee – let’s say large production – increase, the producers who worked directly also necessarily saw the cost increase ».
Stay accessible
Result: at the end of the chain, the roaster also has to increase his prices, while trying to make his know-how as accessible as possible: “ My pleasure is that someone who says: “I’m going to roast for a coffee that’s roasted today or yesterday, so he can do it easily.” I think the process is easy if it’s a few euros. On the other hand, if it is more than double, it is not possible ».
Laurent Boucher-Guillaume thinks prices won’t return to normal right away, but he hopes to at least be able to lower his entry-level coffees to attract new customers.
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