Coffee on American supermarket shelves is becoming increasingly less affordable for the average consumer. Ground coffee prices in US supermarkets surged almost 21% year-on-year in August, hitting a record $8.87 a pound, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That marks the steepest rise since the 1990s. Tariffs on Brazil and Vietnam have turned America’s most essential import into a bargaining chip. Consumers are trading down, stockpiling, or even swapping to caffeine tablets.| Coffee Intelligence
Every autumn, America undergoes the same ritual. Supermarkets stack cinnamon-scented candles, Instagram grids fill with orange foliage, and coffee chains roll out the pumpkin spice latte (PSL). Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte, first launched in 2003, is its most popular seasonal drink of all time. It drove a 24% jump in store visits on launch day last year. Even as tariffs push up costs of coffee and spices, Starbucks says 10% of sales now come from “returning favourites” like PSL.| Coffee Intelligence