These 10 Popular Coffee Products May Shoot Up In Price Very Soon

Americans are full of beans—coffee beans, that is. With 75% of adults reporting that they drink it at least weekly, according to the National Coffee Association, the U.S. is the largest coffee market in the world. The industry generates $100 billion  per year, and yet, it depends almost entirely on foreign trade. Hawaii, our primary source for homegrown joe, produces less than 1% of the world's coffee beans, and they're already priced at a premium. Now, in the face of a changing climate and increased anxiety around tariffs, those beans may become even more precious.

As of this writing, coffee prices are already at a record-breaking $7 per pound. This is due to a combination of factors, most notably a prolonged drought in Brazil that has extensively damaged crops for the world's largest coffee producer. Coffee-growing Colombia also experienced a streak of bad weather that contributed to a 13% increase in Arabica bean prices in December, 2024. Meanwhile, that same year, coffee consumption in the U.S. reached an all-time high, up nearly 40% since 2004.

In addition to major changes in both supply and demand, the global coffee industry must brace for another storm: the Trump administration's proposed retaliatory tariffs. High on the list of countries to be hit hardest by increased import fees are Indonesia (including coffee-growing Sumatra) and Vietnam, where a potential 46% tariff could cripple the coffee economy. For these reasons combined, these 10 popular coffee products might shoot up in price very soon.

When you think of coffee, Vietnam may not be the first place that comes to mind, but it's actually the second-largest coffee-producing country in the world (behind only Brazil). While Vietnamese labels may lack the international brand recognition of a company like Folgers or Dunkin', the rising popularity of Vietnamese iced coffee and brands like Trung Nguyen Vietnamese Coffee could soon change that.

To make an authentic Vietnamese iced coffee at home, you'll want Robusta beans, which have a nuttier, more bitter flavor than Arabica, as well as a higher caffeine content (1.6 to 2.7% versus Arabica's 1 to 1.5%). Most of the coffee produced in Vietnam is Robusta, and while it's often mixed with Arabica to be packaged and sold as a blend, that doesn't negate the resulting brew's Vietnamese roots.

As American consumers become more interested in learning about coffee and Vietnamese entrepreneurs campaign for better visibility, Robusta beans are becoming more mainstream. Cities across the U.S. are welcoming a new crop of Vietnamese craft coffee roasters, just as a proposed 46% tariff could be imposed on the country that grows the beans. This would greatly impact Trung Nguyen and other Vietnamese brands, and likely pass the increased costs onto those who drink the products.

The effects of increased tariffs, if enacted, will not only be felt by those who frequent specialty coffee shops; the average joe who enjoys an average cup of joe may also experience sticker shock, as many affordable brands become less so. Nescafé Taster's Choice House Blend Instant Coffee, sold everywhere from Walmart to Costco, is a popular choice for coffee-lovers looking to save time or money, or both. Its 100% pure coffee beans are a blend of Arabica and Robusta that Nescafé sources from Brazil and Vietnam, two countries facing particularly acute challenges.

Brazil's landscape has been hit by extreme weather, where fluctuating temperatures and prolonged drought are devastating coffee crops. This has directly led to the cost of Arabica beans doubling in the past year as suppliers, manufacturers, and retailers all scramble to meet increased demand. U.S. tariffs on Brazilian coffee could soon be 10%, while Vietnam (where the rest of the beans in Nescafé's Taster's Choice House Blend Instant Coffee comes from) could be looking at a whopping 46%. Perhaps more importantly for Nescafé, headquartered in Switzerland, the proposed 31% tariff on Swiss products could translate to a similar increase on the price of its instant coffee.

The signature medium roast blend from popular brand Caribou offers a nice balance of sweetness and acidity that goes down smooth. Along with being sold in Caribou coffee shops, blue bags of this brew can be found in major grocery stores nationwide, and the company also offers subscriptions and bulk bags for sale. If you're one of the many consumers who enjoys Caribou Coffee's Caribou Blend, you might want to take heed and stock up in case the price shoots up.

The coffee in Caribou Coffee's Caribou Blend comes from Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Guatemala, and Sumatra. Those are all major producers and exporters of coffee, and also all on the list of countries vulnerable to new U.S. tariff rates. The proposed 32% tariff on imports from Indonesia (like widely loved coffee beans from Sumatra) could single-handedly increase the cost of the blend. But an additional 10% on the beans from Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Guatemala could compound the impact, rendering the Caribou Blend and similar varieties much pricier than its fans have come to expect.

While it's named for a Mediterranean island, La Colombe Corsica Darker Roast actually features a blend of beans from Latin America. The resulting brew is rich, chocolatey, and beloved by those who prefer their coffee as dark as possible. If you're among them, you should know that its reliance on beans from Colombia (a country whose coffee crops have been ravaged by particularly extreme La Niña and El Niño storm seasons) makes Corsica susceptible to increased costs as coffee markets around the world prepare for tough times.

The popular blend from La Colombe also sources from Mexico, Honduras, and Brazil. Those last two are on the list of countries whose products could be affected by proposed tariff hikes, leaving dark roast lovers looking for a more affordable alternative. If you'd like to stay a step ahead, you may consider freezing your coffee beans to keep them fresh for longer, but note that dark roast coffee tends to lose some of its complexity over time. La Colombe does offer a selection of canned coffee drinks, which may store better, but none that feature the Corsica roast.

A bestseller of internet darling Emma Chamberlain's coffee brand, the Chamberlain Coffee Fluffy Lamb Vanilla Blend is loved for its balanced sweetness (created by a touch of Madagascar vanilla flavor) and organic, single-origin beans from Nicaragua, a country whose coffee production is currently in crisis. Year after year, the country's dry season has shortened, ushering unpredictable rains and challenging coffee plants that need hot, arid conditions to flower.

As one of the world's 10 countries most vulnerable to extreme weather events, including agriculture-damaging floods, Nicaragua must find ways to adapt its methods for producing coffee and other vital crops. Simultaneously, its economy may be impacted by a proposed tariff rate of 18% on exports to the U.S. If that goes into effect, the cost will most likely be passed on to the consumer. Are Emma Chamberlain's fans willing to pay a premium for flavored coffee drinks in cute packaging that bear her name? We could learn the answer to that question very soon.

Since opening its first shop in Chicago in 1995, the Intelligentsia name has developed a certain caché. Coffee aficionados in cities like Los Angeles, Austin, New York, and Seoul know the brand for its quality, as well as the company's role in popularizing single-origin brews and more transparent, ethical sourcing. One thing Intelligentsia is not known for is being cheap, and popular brews like its Black Cat Classic Espresso may soon become even less so.

Intelligentsia's Black Cat Classic Espresso owes its sweet, almost syrupy flavor to a bold blend of Brazilian coffee beans. It's been a staple on the menu since Intelligentsia's first coffee shop opened, and it may have helped put the brand on the proverbial map. On the global map, though, Brazil's coffee farmers are struggling with unreliable harvest cycles and climate-propelled deforestation. Unprecedented droughts, unexpected frosts, and intense tropical storms have devastated the world's largest coffee-growing region as the threat of a 10% U.S. tariff rate looms. The collective impact will inevitably land at your local coffee shop, and while Starbucks has committed to freezing prices through fiscal year 2025, a high-end chain like Intelligentsia may not want or be able to follow suit.

Lavazza is an Italian company headquartered in Turin. There you'll find the Lavazza Museum, housed within a 120-year-old coffee factory that's been repurposed to celebrate the story of Lavazza and share fun facts about coffee. But, like coffee in general, Lavazza's reach extends far beyond the address on the label. Much of its coffee is processed in the U.S., which means that beans from Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, and Indonesia make it to the aisles of Target and Safeway without ever touching European ground. The ever-popular Lavazza Espresso 100% Arabica Coffee features a blend from those major coffee-growing regions, each of whom grapple with a unique combination of environmental and political factors that will very likely increase costs.

While climate catastrophe and cuts to funding sources like USAID have already impacted growers in South America, increasing the price of green coffee beans, Brazil and Colombia both face the possibility of a 10% U.S. tariff rate. That number could pose a problem to already struggling markets, but it's low compared to the 32% that may potentially be placed on products from Indonesia, and the even higher 46% on imports from Vietnam. While it's hard to say exactly how those increases would translate to price tags, it's not hard to imagine that they will be passed on to consumers in some way. After all, if any crop illustrates how we're all connected, it's coffee.

Fans of Trader Joe's sing the store's praises for finding innovative ways to keep costs low and there are plenty of great finds for under $5. But in the age of climate crisis and the looming threat of a trade war, the chain is as vulnerable to increased prices as the rest of us. Along with produce from Mexico and frozen foods from Canada, products that might soon increase in cost include one of Trader Joe's best coffees, like its Fair Trade Organic Sumatra. With 100% Arabica beans from the volcanic islands of Indonesia, this brew is traced back to a country high on the Trump administration's list for increased tariff rates.

If the proposed tariffs are enforced, products imported from Indonesia will be susceptible to a 32% price hike. That would likely lead to a significant increase from Trader Joe's Fair Trade Organic Sumatra Coffee's current price of $9.49 per 13-ounce bag. And even if the tariffs don't come to pass, we may see that number climb. Like other coffee-producing countries, Indonesia has experienced extreme weather events (most notably, excessive rains in 2023 to 2024) that damaged crops and decreased production, thus increasing the value of the beans that do make it to harvest.

While most coffee drinkers in the U.S. opt for readily available Arabica beans, the real caffeine fiends know to reach for Robusta, whose lower sugar and higher caffeine typically see it blended with milder beans to create a balanced blend. Those who appreciate the boldness of Robusta but dislike its bitter notes enjoy 9AM Vietnam Fine Robusta, which is processed through the brand's Honey method for a smoother, cleaner flavor that draws fans.

Innovation like this has led to increased demand for Robusta, which could be a boon to the global coffee industry as Arabica harvests continue to fall due to changing climate conditions. But before you get excited to buy a bag of Robusta and make better coffee at home, you should know that this blend could also shoot up in price due to its origins.

Vietnam, with its tropical climate at high altitude, is home to ideal growing conditions for the Robusta beans that 9AM uses. The country built its first commercial coffee processing plant in 1950 and, since then, has seen its coffee market steadily grow. But Vietnamese coffee growers may soon have to innovate again, to combat a proposed 46% tariff rate on exports to the U.S. If this passes, we'll likely see the price increase for all Robusta coffee products, including 9AM's.

With its bold branding and equally bold flavor, Death Wish has developed a cult following. And beyond the packaging, the company is known for being an early pioneer in bringing Robusta coffee beans stateside. While Death Wish offers a number of blends, its original Dark Roast ( a strong blend of Robusta and Arabica coffee) remains a favorite for its dark-chocolate flavor profile and sustainably farmed beans from Brazil. But that dedication to fair trade Brazilian beans could soon sound the death knell for Death Wish Coffee Dark Roast's current price.

Now facing a number of major hurdles, from extreme drought to inflation to the threat of U.S. tariffs, Brazil's coffee industry is in troubled waters. With the cost of a cuppa already at an all-time high, it would be wise for java drinkers to look away from the world's largest growers and toward local Hawaiian brands (like Bad Ass Coffee, which sources its beans locally and is planning for rapid expansion) as well as climate-wise producers like Peru. While the latter is vulnerable to the same proposed 10% tariff rate as other Latin American countries, Peru has shown a commitment to increased climate resilience through programs like EcoMicro, which finances innovation within the country's coffee industry. This pivot could be just the pick-me-up that the coffee economy needs.