Every Friday, Perfect Daily Grind rounds up the top coffee industry news from the week.
Prices are the burning issue in the coffee industry – and will be for the foreseeable future. On Monday, arabica futures increased by 6% to an all-time high of US $4.38/lb after reports that producers in Brazil, who have already sold an estimated 80% of their harvests, are reluctant to sell more.
Limited stockpiles are likely causing panic buying, which only drives market prices even higher. Until Brazil and Vietnam produce good harvests (which isn’t expected until mid-2026) or demand drops significantly in consuming countries, this upward trajectory will continue.
Zooming out from the C market, other records have also been broken this week. At the first-ever Dubai Coffee Auction, co-hosted by M-Cultivo at the fourth World of Coffee Dubai event, international buyers bid on 16 lots grown by 11 of the world’s top producers.
Panama’s Finca Sophia sold for US $10,020/kg, making it one of the most expensive in the world. A Kona SL 34 sold for US $910/kg – eight times the previous highest price paid for Hawaiian coffee – while Los Rodriguez’s La Llama lot became the most expensive Bolivian coffee ever sold, fetching US $350/kg. A new record was also set for Ethiopian coffee when Gesha Village’s Oma Natural received a bid of US $1,100/kg.
The auction came at a fitting time as market prices reached their highest levels in history, showcasing just how far the opposite ends of the spectrum can be from one another. But whether it’s US $4/lb or US $10,000/kg, historic prices raise many questions about the value of coffee.
Want to keep up with current affairs in the coffee industry? Check out last week’s coffee news stories and make sure to read the latest Coffee Intelligence News & Opinion piece about why Trump’s shutdown of USAID could spell disaster for the coffee industry.
Tasmin is the Managing Editor at Perfect Daily Grind. She has worked in the coffee industry since 2015, including as a barista in the UK, Canada, and Hungary.
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