Are We Exploiting the Coffee Tariff Crisis by Not Raising Prices? Yes
New tariffs imposed at the end of July are already having an impact on coffee prices in the United States. That's not exactly a surprise, but what is is how sensitive coffee is to supply changes compared to other foods.
From CNBC:
Jessica Simons, owner of Bethany’s Coffee Shop in Lincoln, Nebraska, told CNBC that her shop has seen prices go up 18% to 25% since January.
“We had to put a 3% fee on the coffee because we are waiting for our new menus to be printed, reflecting the new price,” said Simons. “But the prices have changed so quickly that we can’t reprint menus every time the price goes up.”
And if you think that effect is multiplied because that coffee shop is located in Nebraska, well, you're probably right. You'd also be right that there is a macro effect, too.
Here's the latest from CNN's coffee price tracker:
If the font is too small to read, let's just say the line at the right going up means exactly what you think it does.
Yes, inflation plays a part, but so does boneheaded tariff policy. Since there's no shortage of boneheads making decisions at the moment, there's a good chance the boneheadery will continue.
However, none of this particularly matters here at Writer's Block Coffee. We do things a little different.
- Sell at cost
- Ship for free to U.S. addresses
- Specialty-grade coffee roasted to order
Yes, we're exploiting the current coffee pricing situation to our benefit. Why not? We're doing it better than the other players in the coffee game. The difference between us and Starbucks is that you choose how much we profit during this crisis (via tips), not the shareholders.
Also unlike others, we're not using supply price increases as an excuse to raise prices even further. That's "greedflation," and it absolutely happens any time big companies can point the finger somewhere else.
Look, the big coffee companies won't lose any sleep over Writer's Block Coffee. We'd be honored if you did, though.
Order here, and enjoy!
Shamelessly,
Ben