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
In the United States, size has long signalled value. “Supersize me” was not just a McDonald’s slogan but a national mantra, visible in bottomless sodas and endless refills at diners. Jumbo-sized iced coffees – sometimes 32 ounces or more – are trending in America. With the effect of tariffs and high coffee prices, cafés may be stretching supply by bulking out drinks with milk, syrup and ice. The average US coffee serving is 2-3 times the size of a typical European one, reflecting ...| 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
For years, coffee’s giants have been cast as villains. Their dominance, critics argue, squeezes farmers, depresses quality, and cheapens a product whose cultural cachet has soared in the past two decades. Producer countries’ share of commercial retail coffee prices has barely budged in the last 20 years, even with prices declining. Meanwhile at the upper end of the specialty market, prices rose by more than 75% – to whose benefit? Big roasters often run on thin margins balanced by scal...| Coffee Intelligence
On September 5th President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order updating tariff rules in line with ongoing trade negotiations. It designates coffee as an “unavailable natural resource,” eligible for exemption but only through future trade deals. 50% tariffs on Brazilian coffee have already shaken America’s market, and appear to be staying put. Brazil supplies 8M bags of coffee annually to the US, but roasters and traders are quickly pivoting to alternatives.| Coffee Intelligence
Consolidation is happening in green coffee trading, with increased competition, high interest rates and lower profit margins. Smaller green coffee traders will need to adapt in order to survive, either through wise financial partnerships or adapted business models.| Coffee Intelligence
Cotti Coffee opens a new outlet in Australia as part of its international expansion model, following other Chinese brands. If it takes off, this could herald a new era of Chinese influence for coffee drinkers.| Coffee Intelligence
Many Chinese coffee shops have offered home deliveries since 2017. But during Covid-19, US coffee delivery orders exploded by more than 300%.| Coffee Intelligence
For centuries, matcha was a Japanese ritual, a ceremony that prized patience and restraint. Now matcha has become something else entirely: a bright green shorthand for wellness, virality, and conspicuous consumption. Japan’s matcha exports have nearly tripled in the last decade. TikTok has been driving billions of views and fuelling reported supply shortages. Much of matcha’s appeal rests on perception: the colour green signals health and wealth.| Coffee Intelligence
J. M. Smucker raising its prices in the wake of US tariffs raises an alarm. The custodian of Folgers, Dunkin’ and Café Bustelo has long been a bellwether for America’s coffee market. But are tariffs the cause, or the final straw for a market already in decline? Smucker’s US retail coffee profits plunged 22% last quarter, as tariffs on Brazilian coffee increased input costs. Volumes fell 2% as net pricing went up 18%, signalling that households are cutting back. Tariffs could accelerate...| Coffee Intelligence
Many of the world’s coffee traders are now running on fumes. After a decade of relatively benign markets, the past five years have been a blur of price shocks, shipping snarls, rising labour costs, and now the extra burden of US tariffs. Smaller exporters and cooperatives face the sharpest strain, raising the question of who survives and how.| Coffee Intelligence
The announced merger of Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) and JDE Peet’s has, in one stroke, redrawn the global coffee map. JDE Peet’s stock jumped over 17% on merger news, while KDP fell more than 7%. The $16bn revenue alliance creates the next biggest coffee player after Nestlé. Both firms were already racing to scale before merging.| Coffee Intelligence
Decaf used to be the butt of industry jokes – “death before decaf” stickers still appear at trade-show booths – but who’s still laughing? Decaf’s share of US coffee consumption climbed by 33% from 2024 to 2025, according to the NCA. Meanwhile, Swiss Water’s Q2 2025 revenue jumped 56% to CAD $67.7m. Colombian EA decaf demand is clogging trade routes and stretching global plant capacity.| Coffee Intelligence
Pistachios, once a niche nut – at least on the global scene – are now a ubiquitous component of everything from lattes and chocolate bars to ice creams and cocktails. Americans consumed 225,000 tonnes of pistachios in 2024 – more than any other country. Viral hits like “Dubai Chocolate” drove $22m in sales in just three months. This has fuelled shortages and strained supply chains from Turkey to California.| Coffee Intelligence
Once dismissed as the old guard’s beverage of choice – too rural, too industrial, too unkind to the planet or the stomach – dairy milk had, until now, seemingly been ousted by its plant-based successors. US oat milk sales hit $695 million by 2024, but signs point to consumers returning to dairy. Global dairy production is rising, with 325.8 million metric tonnes of milk predicted in 2025. Gen Z isn't loyal – they’re more likely than others to switch between dairy and alt-milks.| Coffee Intelligence
Eugenioides coffee burst onto the international scene at the 2021 World Barista Championships. Two years on, it is almost impossible to get hold of.| Coffee Intelligence
The global coffee trade witnessed a remarkable shift in 2023 as Chinese imports of Brazilian coffee tripled within a year. This has set the stage for Chinese coffee chain Luckin Coffee recently entering a MoU with the Brazilian government. This is a strategic partnership that will help consolidate market power for both countries.| Coffee Intelligence
Starbucks just reported it has drastically cut its full-year revenue growth forecast. The iconic US coffee chain's shares have plunged by 16%, with key market declines in the US and China. Fierce competition in both markets will make it hard for Starbucks to recover without a significant pivot.| Coffee Intelligence
The coffee industry is undergoing a transformation, taking a page out of the fashion world’s playbook to appeal to a new generation of consumers. Hundreds of RTD coffee products are launched every year in both the US and Europe. Coffee is chasing fashion-style seasonal product "drops" and limited edition collections. 83% of consumers want new RTD flavours – driving coffee toward endless choice and constant reinvention.| Coffee Intelligence
Black Sheep Coffee, known for championing specialty robusta in an industry that prizes arabica, recently reported a 227% year-on-year surge in iced beverage sales. The reason? matcha. Gen Z is driving demand for health-forward, photogenic drinks – and matcha is the poster child. From Japanese ritual to café essential, matcha’s transformation is rewriting the coffee shop playbook.| Coffee Intelligence
Few sectors are as globally enmeshed – and as politically exposed – as coffee. In recent weeks, Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on coffee imports have sent shockwaves through the industry. Arabica prices recently surged to $4.30/lb – only to later drop 60 cents amid tariff panic. Trump’s reciprocal tariffs (and the subsequent pause) is reshuffling global sourcing, including for coffee. However, uncertainty is the real tax – and few can afford it.| Coffee Intelligence
In January 2025, La Colombe Coffee Roasters – a brand once synonymous with craft, purity, and café authenticity – launched a limited-edition Strawberry Mocha Draft Latte. RTD coffee brands are ditching origin stories for seasonal drops, wellness claims, and curated aesthetics. There were over 200 new RTD products launched in Europe in 2023 alone. Canned coffee is being reimagined as lifestyle merch – not just a beverage.| Coffee Intelligence
Influencers are turning online clout into offline coffee spaces – and Gen Z is showing up. With 74% of Gen Z valuing real-world experiences over digital ones, influencer cafés are emerging as the new social hubs. Chamberlain Coffee expects to hit $33 million in 2025 – proof that going offline is the next big move for digital-first brands. Gen Z is flocking to these curated and reimagined “third places” that are part coffee shop, part content studio.| Coffee Intelligence
For years, China’s coffee market was hailed as a rising force, with annual consumption growing by 15%, vastly outpacing the global average of 2.2%. China’s coffee boom continues, but CoE demand is shifting. Luckin and Cotti’s rapid expansion is fuelling mass-market coffee, leaving ultra-premium lots for a niche few. Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan are snapping up CoE coffees as China’s specialty scene pivots to trendy, hybrid drinks.| Coffee Intelligence
The European Union’s recent decision to delay the enforcement of its landmark European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) has set the record straight on whether plans will go ahead or be scratched. EU coffee imports hit €21.9 billion in 2022, underscoring that compliance is non-negotiable. Looking to cocoa and palm oil offers the coffee industry a roadmap for smarter EUDR preparation.| Coffee Intelligence
Colombia’s coffee industry, long celebrated for its exceptional green coffee exports, is witnessing a strategic shift as traders venture into specialty coffee retail. Rising costs and shrinking margins are driving a shift from green coffee exports to domestic retail. Specialty cafés showcase Colombian coffee culture and foster innovation and sustainability.| Coffee Intelligence
