How much would/should you pay for good coffee?

[simonp]

I can find most of what I need from Mr L. But I am always open to suggestions from other people.

Me too, but we need to keep others in mind for others sake who may have different tastes, and I'm sure Mr L. likes to keep things impartial here on TMC, so I feel we should mention other roasters too when they warrant it.

[Steve]

Indeed

[Gouezeri]

Errr... see the other thread... people are posting what beans they are drinking, but not where they are from can't say I don't try!

[simonp]

can't say I don't try!

No, I've heard you are always trying, very trying

[Gouezeri]

you been talking to Phil again

[jameso]

can't say I don't try!

Some of us are giving non-Staffs suppliers in aforementioned thread. You're efforts aren't wasted Dom!

you been talking to Phil again

Are you saying that is a bad thing then?

[zix]

I think (sorry for being boring, you know I usually drive off-topic as often as anyone here) that the micro roaster idea is basically very good. All small companies must be good to their customers, this is their way of surviving. So they will want high quality beans, and they can keep roasted quantities down.
But: how about the trading? As far as I know (which would be about up to Steve´s ankles) most of the power in the coffee business lies in the hands of the usual suspects: Nestlé, Kraft, Procter&Gamble and so on. Perhaps we would need cooperatives on the roaster/green bean buyer side too?

[Gouezeri]

I'm not sure I follow your point Zix.

The great thing about micro roasting at the moment is the ties with programs such as CofE which essentially cuts out the middle men and takes a lot of the power away from the big boys and distributes it much more fairly. And, IMHO, ends up in a better deal for everyone; farmer, roaster and consumer.

[Steve]

The buying power is shifting, certainly in America and to an extent here, the micro roasters have no problems working together to buy lots (not just COE which is a really good example of rival companies working together) but buying whole farmers lots cutting out importers exporters and markets, after building these relationships.

But the second way power is moving away from the big four is by working with importers who can pull micro roasters together to get great coffee, with a good deal for all. The "big four" just want to buy cheap Vietnamese or scrapings of the floor from brazil, and have little interest in the specialty lots as they cant make there cuts for their shareholders. When there are people like you guys will pay a premium for quality it makes life easier for people like me to source great quality coffee at a good price for everyone.

But as Dom said COE has done so much for this moment towards taking power away from the bigun's.

Steve

[Gouezeri]

When there are people like you guys will pay a premium for quality it makes life easier for people like me to source great quality coffee at a good price for everyone.
Steve

Heh, get to argue with Steve
I really don't feel I'm paying any "premium" at all (and I think Steve charges me the same as everyone else ). Personally, I think I'm getting quality and value for money (though buying greens in bulk helps). If I was to buy my coffee from a supermarket, it would cost me 2-3 quid for something of mediocre quality at best (vis-a-vis bean quality and freshness). The only cost which I don't like is postage (old hat here). A premium is what you pay for branded organic products in supermarkets!

D
Though maybe I should be checking the prices I pay against everyone else, in case there's a "Dom tax"

[Steve]

I shouldnt worry every one charges a "Dom" tax

Postage sucks, I'm with you there brother

[simonp]

Postage sucks, I'm with you there brother

Cheaper than driving to Stafford though

[Beanie]

Cheaper than driving to Stafford though

Hmm... depends on #kg ordered & where from. My last order was 60-65% of green costs = next time, I'll fly down to pick up an order that size. Steve, get ready for my grand tour/mini-apprenticeship in the new year

[BazBean]

The buying power is shifting, certainly in America and to an extent here, the micro roasters have no problems working together to buy lots (not just COE which is a really good example of rival companies working together) but buying whole farmers lots cutting out importers exporters and markets, after building these relationships.

does this mean that prices from Green suppliers are likely to be drivern down rather than up in the future or to filter in the fair trade cenario, does this mean the growers are given a much better price for harvest rather than a greater margin for the wholsalers? i ask this not because i think wholsalers should not make a good margins, far from it after all the amout of investment alone deserves a return and i beleive a sucessfull group of wholsallers can influence the market to greater effect but i find this notion of fair trades etc rather confusing at the best of times

[Steve]

I think prices will probably go up for everyone in the chain, but not as much as the quality can. You get what you pay for I guess and as demand for these small boutique lots increases so do the costs.

Steve