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Life

If Coffee Prices Do ‘Skyrocket,’ Would You Give It Up?

Colorful coffee mugs stacked123RF

Forbes reported that coffee prices are set to ‘skyrocket’ this year. How much do you love your coffee — and what’s it worth to you?

With reports that coffee prices are set to rise this year, you have to ask an important question. That question is this: How much is your morning joe really worth? Or your afternoon joe, for that matter.

Forbes says prices for coffee could reach all-time highs during the next crop cycle. In addition to inventory dropping to decades-lows, the price per pound is up to $2.29 per pound. That doesn’t sound low, of course. In fact, compared to what coffee costs in the grocery store or at a coffee shop, $2.29 per pound would be an incredible bargain

But that’s the price of Arabica coffee futures which help drive what consumers actually pay. That $2.29 is down from a more recent $2.50. But the all-time high set in March 1977 was $3.11, Trending Economics reports. A year from now, it forecasts the price will have risen to close to $2.60.

So the writing, apparently, is on the wall for price hikes.

How high is too high?

Everything costs more than it used to. That’s a given. But some things seem to have gone up a lot more than others.

Food Lion, a grocery store near me, is selling a 25.9-ounce jug of Folgers Classic Roast ground coffee at $11.99. They have Maxwell House Original Medium Roast ground on sale for $8.99, down from its regular $10.99 price.

They sell 12-ounce bags of Dunkin’ Original Blend Medium Roast ground for $6.99. 

If you’re good at math, you see the per-ounce price is 29¢ for Maxwell House, 46¢ for Folgers and 58¢ for Dunkin’. 

Food Lion also sells Starbucks Pike Place Medium Roast ground in an 18-ounce bag for $15.99. That’s 89¢ per ounce.

I picked Food Lion because it’s generally one of the lower-priced grocers, although even they don’t seem to bend over backwards on sale prices these days.

There’s no telling what some other, higher-priced grocery stores are selling coffee for these days. 

Then there are the coffee shops. A particular favorite of mine at the moment is Starbucks’ pistachio latte. I get the “venti” with two Splenda. Depending on which location I visit, I’m going to pay somewhere between $6.90 and $7.20 for a cup. 

Seven bucks.

I know. Supposedly, it’s for a limited time. When it’s done, I’ll probably take a major break from Starbucks. My previous most-ordered item there was the caramel macchiato…but I don’t like it as much as I like the pistachio latte.

I’m lucky…I don’t like coffee for the reason most do

Coffee doesn’t give me the “buzz” or “jolt” that it seems to give most people. In fact, at the end of a long day, I can sit in my recliner, watch an old movie, drink a nice cup of coffee, and doze.

There are times I wish coffee could have the effect of making me feel more awake. It just doesn’t.

That either means that I’m largely immune to caffeine or I’ve had enough coffee over my lifetime that it just doesn’t do it anymore. I never have decaf coffee simply because I don’t trust that the extra process they have to do to decaffeinate coffee is particularly any healthier than just drinking the regular version.

But there’s never been a time when coffee gave me that buzz.

I enjoy coffee for the taste. Granted, I can’t bring myself to drink coffee black. I need cream and sugar. I actually prefer one of those fancy creamers a former coworker called “hoity toity.” And since I’m a diabetic, I reach for the Splenda instead of the sugar.

I also enjoy coffee in those rare times I have a cup with someone else for the social aspect. But I could meet someone for a cocktail instead if necessary — although mine would probably be a Diet Coke.

I can go to a coffee shop with my trusted iPad and read or write on this blog over a cup of coffee. But I could do the same thing at a restaurant ordering a soft drink.

If coffee shot up so high in price that it didn’t make sense to order it, I think I’d live. I’d feel bad for those who think they need it just to get moving.

But I’d be glad I wouldn’t be one of those folks.

If I were a coffee manufacturer, I’d find a way to keep prices down. I’d hate all those angry, decaffeinated people coming after me. I’ve seen how some people get when they haven’t had their cup early in the morning. It isn’t pretty.

How do you feel about coffee? Do you love it or hate it? Could you get along without it if the price got too high?

the authorPatrick
Patrick is a Christian with more than 30 years experience in professional writing, producing and marketing. His professional background also includes social media, reporting for broadcast television and the web, directing, videography and photography. He enjoys getting to know people over coffee and spending time with his dog.