Extreme droughts and heat waves in Brazil, the world’s top coffee producer, are driving record-high coffee prices. This means higher costs for office coffee suppliers and clients — as well as consumers, notes the Washington Post.
Other factors affecting coffee production and availability:
- Farmers are facing losses, and some are unable to harvest any coffee at all. This could lead to supply shortages and inconsistent availability of certain blends, particularly high quality Arabica.
- Coffee theft is rising in Brazil as prices surge, further stretching supply chains and potentially delaying U.S. shipments.
- Climate change concerns are pushing some producers to shift to Robusta coffee. Its stronger, more bitter taste could impact flavor profiles and the selection of coffee available for office programs.
- With supply and price pressures on premium Arabica coffee, OCS providers may need to explore alternative blends, sustainable sources, or functional beverages to supplement coffee programs.
Why it matters to OCS operators: Office coffee providers should prepare for ongoing price volatility and possible supply chain disruptions. Exploring new suppliers, diversifying offerings and keeping clients informed about market conditions will be key to maintaining strong office coffee programs.
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Linda Becker | Editor-in-Chief
Linda Becker is editor-in-chief of Automatic Merchandiser and VendingMarketWatch.com. She has more than 20 years of experience in B2B publishing, writing, editing and producing content for magazines, websites, webinars, podcasts, newsletters and eBooks, primarily for manufacturing and process engineering audiences. Since joining Automatic Merchandiser and VendingMarketWatch.com, Linda has developed a new appreciation for the convenience services industry and the essential role it plays. She is dedicated to serving readers by covering the latest news in the vending, office coffee service and micro market industry. She can be reached at 262-203-9924 or [email protected].
