Rising coffee prices: understanding and adapting without compromising quality

 

Dear customers,

You've probably noticed or heard it: the price of coffee keeps increasing. I want to take a moment to explain why and how we are adapting at Brûlerie du Quai. Our mission remains the same: to offer you exceptional coffees, even in a difficult market context.

A coffee market under pressure

The price of coffee has reached a very high level. It exceeds 400 US cents per pound. This represents an increase of more than 300% since 2019.

I invite you to take a look at the market developments here: Trading Economics website

Several factors explain this surge:

01. Extreme weather conditions

Climate change is having a major impact on specialty coffee crops. Droughts and severe weather in Brazil and Central America have severely reduced harvests, creating an imbalance between supply and demand.

Prolonged periods of drought weaken coffee trees, reducing their productivity and affecting the quality of the beans. Conversely, excessive rainfall increases the risk of fungal diseases. This includes coffee rust. This disease threatens plantations and causes losses for organic fair trade coffee producers.

02. Increase in production costs

The costs associated with growing and processing artisanal roasted coffee continue to rise:

— Fertilizers and agricultural products: The explosion in fertilizer prices has a direct impact on producers.

— Transportation and logistics are affected. Fuel prices are increasing. There are also problems in the chain. This makes it more difficult to export coffee beans.

— Labour: In many producing countries, the minimum wage is increasing. In addition, there is a lack of skilled workers. This affects the final cost of specialty coffee.

— Currency fluctuations: Unstable exchange rates complicate transactions and make imports more expensive.

03. A growing tendency of the global coffee demand

Interest in organic, fair trade coffee continues to grow, putting even more pressure on supply. New markets like China and the Middle East are adopting coffee on a large scale, exacerbating the strain on supplies. This explosion in demand is forcing producers to invest more in their farms, increasing their production costs.

Even though we don’t buy our coffees directly from the exchange, its index remains a benchmark for producers. Our specialty coffees are purchased at a higher price than the New York Stock Exchange. This means that even though we work directly with our producers, the market affects our costs.

Securing our green coffee purchases to offer you the best

 

Faced with this situation, we have taken measures to guarantee the stability of our offer:

Direct purchase from Brazilian producers:

We work with partner farms. This helps us manage our costs and guarantee the quality of our Quebec roasted coffee online platform.

01. We import our containers directly.

02. This allows us to avoid American intermediaries.

03. We are thus improving logistics.

04. We reduce the costs of coffee beans.

Vary our purchases:

We are looking for new terroirs. This helps us offer specialty coffees in Gaspésie. We also want to reduce the impact of price increases.

• As a guide, a 20-ton container of coffee from Brazil takes about 20 days to arrive here. This approach allows us to better control price increases and ensure stable deliveries.

 

Quality above all

 

At Brûlerie du Quai, our priority remains quality. We do not seek to offer the cheapest coffee possible, but rather the best in terms of flavour and experience. Each cup must be an invitation to travel.

We optimize our processes , refine our roasts and select our beans with the greatest rigour. Our commitment is clear: a well-sourced, well-roasted coffee delivered with passion.

Our coffees are roasted in small batches. This helps us adjust each roast profile according to each origin. Thanks to this approach, we guarantee unique flavours, reflecting the terroir and the know-how of organic vs conventional coffee producers.

How to continue saving on your coffee?

Even in this context, there are solutions to continue enjoying your favourite specialty coffee while controlling your budget:

01. Coffee subscription:

Enjoy exclusive discounts and access to our limited selections. This helps you avoid price hikes.

 

02. Loyalty program:

Every purchase earns you points that can be redeemed for discounts.

 

03. Bulk purchase:

Ordering in larger quantities helps reduce the impact of price fluctuations on your purchase.

 

04. Opt for coffees with accessible profiles:

Some varieties offer a nice alternative to the rarer vintages.

 

05. Choose coffees from recent harvests:

They guarantee optimum freshness and better preservation of aromas.

 

By using these tips, you can continue to enjoy quality craft coffee. 

Thank you for your trust

We know these increases aren’t ideal, but we’re doing everything we can to continue to provide you with an unparalleled coffee experience. Your support is essential, and we’re grateful to be on this journey with you. Together, we’re overcoming these challenges to continue sharing our passion for coffee .

To your next cup!

— Dany Marquis, Brûlerie du Quai