12 Most Expensive Coffees in the World

Published on December 6, 2023 at 12:27 pm by Meerub Anjum in Business, Industries, Lists, News

In this article, we will look into the 12 most expensive coffees in the world. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to the 5 Most Expensive Coffees in the World.

The Global Coffee Market

Coffee is a highly consumed beverage globally, with millions drinking it on a daily basis. Countries including Brazil, Vietnam, and Colombia are some of the most coffee-producing countries in the world. These countries produce 60% of the total coffee in the world. According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, the global coffee market is expected to reach $126.17 billion in 2023. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.72% and reach $158.89 billion in 2028. The growth is driven by multiple factors including the growing demand for certified coffee products, innovative market trends, and customers’ acceptance of single-serve coffee brew systems.

The market dynamics are expected to change as consumers’ preference for coffee changes to premium coffee in developed countries. The demand for high-end certified coffee products is rising as customers are becoming aware of the ethical sourcing of food and beverages. Sustainable coffee products are gaining traction in the market as they guarantee the customers that the coffee beans are produced in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. Multiple organizations are working for the verification of sustainable practices in the market including UTZ Certification, Fair Trade Certification, Rainforest Alliance Certification, and USDA Organic Certification among others.

Regionally, the global coffee market is dominated by Europe. The growth is majorly driven by an increasing demand for coffee at work. According to a survey by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC), 68% of the respondents surveyed, reported that they often consumed coffee while working. The innovative advancements in the coffee market, such as tabletop machines, coffee pods and capsules, and traceability tools, are also contributing to the growth in the region. South America is expected to grow at the highest rate over the forecasted period.

The burgeoning South American market exhibits a multitude of opportunities for players in the coffee market to capitalize on the strong growth potential. For instance, on July 24, 2023, JDE Peet’s N.V. (OTC:JDEPF) announced that it had acquired the Maratá’s coffee and tea business in Brazil. The company has not disclosed the transaction amount, however, the acquisition is expected to be completed in 2024. The Maratá’s coffee and tea business dominated the northern part of Brazil with its top-notch brands Café Maratá and Chá Maratá. The business has a well-established network, with nearly 1,200 employees and two manufacturing plants. This transaction provides JDE Peet’s N.V. (OTC:JDEPF) with the opportunity to expand its business and presence in Brazil. Upon the completion of this transaction, JDE Peet’s N.V.’s (OTC:JDEPF) scale and national coverage will increase in the Brazilian market. Furthermore, it will create an additional revenue stream for the company.

Major Players in the Market

Some of the major players that are dominating the global coffee market include Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX), The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO), Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (NASDAQ:KDP), and Nestlé S.A. (OTC:NSRGY).

Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) is a market leader in the coffee market. On November 28, the company announced four holiday cold foams for cold coffee enthusiasts. The cold foams are a blend of festive flavors and Starbucks Corporation’s (NASDAQ:SBUX) signature vanilla sweet cream. The holiday cold foam flavors include Peppermint Chocolate Cream Cold Foam, Sugar Cookie Cream Cold Foam, Chestnut Praline Cream Cold Foam, and Caramel Brulée Cream Cold Foam. The cold foams will be available for the holiday season at stores in the US and Canada.

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) is one of the world’s largest beverage companies. After the acquisition of Costa Coffee in 2019, The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) is making strides in the coffee market. Costa Coffee has recently opened and renovated stores in multiple locations. On December 1, Costa Coffee disclosed its newly renovated store in Cornhill, Dorchester. The Cornhill store will offer innovative features and a remodeled interior. The new store will provide customers with a more convenient experience. Costa Coffee’s new store will feature touch-screen ordering, QR code ordering, and dedicated collection points for takeaway customers.

With the surge in the demand for plant-based alternatives, Costa Coffee is leading the way with its new products. On November 14, Costa Coffee launched the 750-milliliter Oat Latte, its first ever plant-based ready-to-drink product. The Oat Latte is available in more than 500 Tesco stores nationwide. With the launch of RTD coffee, Costa Coffee became the first major brand to introduce a plant-based, dairy-free alternative in the market.

Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (NASDAQ:KDP) is a leading American beverage company, with a range of hot and cold beverage products. On October 26, Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (NASDAQ:KDP) reported its earnings for the fiscal third quarter of 2023. The company reported an EPS of $0.48 and beat estimates by $0.01. Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (NASDAQ:KDP) reported a revenue of $3.81 billion and overperformed estimates by $33.66 million. The company’s revenue grew by 5.05% on a year-over-year basis.

Here are some of the comments from Keurig Dr Pepper Inc.’s (NASDAQ:KDP) Q3 2023 earnings call:

“In U.S. Refreshment Beverages, we have consistently outperformed our categories, growing dollar share in at least 75% of our business in all but two quarters since the beginning of 2019. We also entered multiple strategic white spaces within the past 12 months such as ready-to-drink coffee, energy, and after today’s announcement, sports hydration, all were achieved in a very capital-efficient manner. The growth path ahead is increasingly evident with both owned and partner brands. The latter, where our relationships are strategic and long-term, growth and mix are positive, and our economics are attractive. Coffee, the single-serve segment has continued to steadily gain share of at-home coffee, cementing Keurig’s leadership position with this important category.

At the same time, we are expanding our total coffee strategy to encompass iced, ready-to-drink, and other forms of coffee within and beyond the K-Cup format. And in Canada and Mexico, we have leveraged similar strategies across our Refreshment Beverages and coffee business as well as deeply experienced local teams to build a combined business approaching $2 billion in revenue, with a mid-20s operating margin. As a result, our International segment has become a scaled contributor to the overall portfolio with significant growth runway ahead. I’ll now briefly discuss how this strategy played out in Q3, with Sudhanshu to follow with greater detail and guidance. In U.S. Refreshment Beverages, 82% of our business outpaced category growth in the quarter.”

Nestlé S.A. (OTC:NSRGY) leads the global beverages and dairy products market, with its diverse line of products. Nestlé S.A.’s (OTC:NSRGY) coffee, Nescafé is the leading coffee brand, with a presence in more than 180 countries. The coffee brand was introduced in 1938 and since then, Nestlé S.A. (OTC:NSRGY) has introduced a variety of variations and flavors for it.

With the increasing demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives, companies are now working towards sustainable products and packaging. With this green economy vision, Nestlé S.A. (OTC:NSRGY) has made substantial progress in reducing its footprint and has employed alternative ways to manage its waste. On October 31, the company shared its progress since 5 years of signing the Global Commitment on plastic waste. Nestlé S.A. (OTC:NSRGY) has reduced virgin plastic packaging by 10.5% since 2018. The company plans to reach a one-third reduction by the end of 2025. Nestlé S.A. (OTC:NSRGY) has also reduced the plastic packaging for its coffee brands, for instance, in 2022, it launched Nescafé Dolce Gusto capsules, which have less plastic weight and will save over 2,500 tonnes of polypropylene. In 2022, the company cut its total product packaging weight by 200,000 tonnes, resulting in a GHG emissions reduction of 280,000 tonnes. Moreover, Nestlé S.A. (OTC:NSRGY) has piloted more than 20 reuse and refill solutions in 12 countries.

Now, that we have talked about the global coffee market and discussed the major players in the market, let’s have a look at the 12 most expensive coffees in the world.

12 Most Expensive Coffees in the World

Our Methodology

To compile our list of the 12 most expensive coffees in the world, we first sifted through the internet to make a list of the 25 most expensive coffees. We reviewed articles from sources including CNBC, Times, Luxe Digital, and Ventured. Then, we obtained the price of each coffee from their official websites and the coffee merchandiser, Sea Island Coffee. For the uniformity of our metric, we converted the price available on the sites to the price per 1 pound of coffee. Finally, we refined our list to the 12 most expensive coffees in the world and ranked them in ascending order of the estimated price per pound.

12 Most Expensive Coffees in the World

12. Molokai Coffee

Estimated Price of a 1-Pound Bag of Coffee: $45/lb

Molokai Coffee is one of the most popular coffees in Hawaii. It is ranked 12th among the most expensive coffees in the world. The Molokai Coffee is available for a price of $45 per pound in the market.

11. Greenwell Jeni K Premier Roast Coffee

Estimated Price of a 1-Pound Bag of Coffee: $65/lb

Greenwell Jeni K Premier Roast Coffee is ranked 11th on our list. The coffee is available for sale at an estimated price of $65 per pound. The Jeni K coffee is one of the signature coffees of Greenwell Farms made of 100% Kona.

10. Kona Extra Fancy

Estimated Price of a 1-Pound Bag of Coffee: $65/lb

Kona Extra Fancy is ranked 10th on our list. The coffee is made from the highest grade of 100% Kona. The Kona Extra Fancy is approved by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, Quality Assurance Division for grade quality and origin. It is available for a price of $65/lb in the market.

9. Fazenda Santa Ines Coffee

Estimated Price of a 1-Pound Bag of Coffee: $70/lb

Fazenda Santa Ines Coffee is ranked 9th on our list of the most expensive coffees in the world. It is available in the market for a price of $70 for 1 pound of coffee.

8. El Injerto Mocca

Estimated Price of a 1-Pound Bag of Coffee: $85/lb

El Injerto Mocca is ranked 8th on our list. According to the historical story of how Mocca seeds arrived in El Injerto for the first time, a traveler gave Rogelio Aguirre the seeds as a gift while passing through El Injerto many years ago. The El Injerto Mocca is priced at $85/lb approximately.

7. Jamaican Blue Mountain Peaberry Coffee

Estimated Price of a 1-Pound Bag of Coffee: $92/lb

Jamaican Blue Mountain Peaberry Coffee is ranked 7th on our list. The coffee is grown on the slope of Catherine’s Peak in the Blue Mountains. It offers a perfect blend of a sweet aroma and traditional Jamaican blue mountain coffee taste. It is available for $92 per pound.

6. Hacienda el Roble Coffee

Estimated Price of a 1-Pound Bag of Coffee: $225/lb

Hacienda el Roble Coffee is ranked among the most expensive coffees in the world. It is available in the market for an estimated price of $225 per pound.

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