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Why You Should Never Drink Indonesian Civet Coffee No Matter the Price: The Cruel Truth Behind Kopi Luwak!

Published: 2026-01-28 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/28, Professional coffee knowledge exchange For more coffee bean information Please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account cafe_style) Many people have definitely heard of it even if they've never tried it, but as the production process of civet coffee gradually comes to light, some cruel truths are finally being revealed. The production process of civet coffee is unacceptable! Netizens: I genuinely can't drink it, it's too cruel! Civet

Professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Cafe Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style)

Many people have definitely heard of it even if they haven't tried it, but as the production process of civet coffee gradually comes to light, some cruel truths have gradually emerged.

"Civet coffee" production process is unacceptable! Netizens: I genuinely can't drink it, it's too cruel!

What is Civet Coffee?

Civet coffee, also known as Luwak coffee, is one of the most expensive coffees in the world. It is made when civets eat mature coffee fruits. The pulp is broken down into amino acids that give the coffee beans unique flavors. The pit of the coffee cherry (which is the coffee bean~) cannot be digested and passes through with these amino acids and intestinal mucus. The coffee beans fermented through the civet's digestive tract reduce the original bitterness and have a unique aroma with an irresistibly sweet taste.

The Dark Side of Production

Profit-seeking businessmen are no longer satisfied with the sporadic yields found in the jungle. To obtain high-priced civet coffee beans and increase production, a specialized civet coffee industry has emerged.

Civets are confined and only fed berries. Civets are cruelly locked in narrow, dirty cages, causing them to nearly collapse from extreme anxiety and depression.

Civets are actually creatures that love freedom extremely. When confined, they once went on hunger strikes to protest, but merchants seeking high-priced civet coffee coffee don't hesitate to abuse cats for their feces.

Like foie gras (which was originally just accidentally fattened geese during normal feeding), this food was originally a gift from nature, but evil profit-seeking businessmen began to find alternative ways for more profit. They instructed locals (belonging to Sumatra, Java, and Sulawesi islands in Indonesia) to lock civets in cages and force-feed them large amounts of coffee beans to obtain more civet coffee.

Forcing them to eat and excrete, then eat and excrete again...

Catching civets, throwing them into cages, feeding, feeding, feeding... For civets that are naturally timid and love freedom, this is undoubtedly a disaster.

Forced monotonous diets also cause many civets to suffer from stomach diseases and malnutrition. Many civets' paw pads have severe exposed wounds due to long-term friction and struggling on sharp wire mesh. Without any treatment measures, the tissue soaked in feces and urine mostly becomes inflamed and ulcerated. Iron cages not only drive animals crazy mentally but also torture them physically.

Some mentally fragile civets, due to such severe stimulation, have died from mental breakdown and hunger strikes in considerable numbers. Those dying and losing value are directly eliminated, becoming fur products flowing into another dark market. From the moment they enter the breeding farm until death, there is not a glimmer of hope.

Investigator Neil D'Cruze: "Some cages are really very small, almost can be called rabbit hutches. There's feces and urine everywhere, and civets can only soak in it. Some civets are very thin - their diet is strictly controlled to only eat coffee cherries (the fruit wrapped around coffee beans); others are very fat because they cannot move freely. D'Cruze also mentioned that some are addicted to caffeine."

--National Geographic Magazine

Animal Abuse Controversy

Although civet coffee leaves a lasting fragrance on gourmets' palates, a recent BBC investigation pointed out that several civet coffees on the market claim to be from "wild civets," but in reality, Indonesian producers keep civets in grid cages, raising suspicions of animal abuse.

Teguh Pribadi, founder of the Indonesian Civet Coffee Association, insists that this mislabeling of Indonesian civet coffee as coming from wild civets is not a widespread phenomenon, perhaps just individual cases.

Due to the extremely low production of genuine civet coffee and the huge initial market, it's natural that prices are high due to scarcity. Only about 150 grams of coffee beans can be extracted from one jin (500g) of civet excrement.

Lin Yijun, who once kept civets in captivity, believes that farmers and civets have a mutually beneficial relationship. Civets are their source of income. If they abuse their money-making tools, the civets' poor physical condition will result in poor quality coffee beans, affecting farmers' income.

She said that captive breeding allows farmers to harvest coffee beans regularly. Most captive breeding sites are natural spaces where civets can move freely; however, coffee beans excreted by wild civets often take time to find, and by the time farmers find them, the beans have over-fermented and quality is poor.

Additionally, due to the scarcity and high price of civet coffee, news of "fake products flooding the market" is often heard. Indonesian media recently reported that Indonesia has a feline animal similar to civets called "Musang" in Indonesian. Because it's cheaper than civets and eats more than civets, it's often purchased by coffee producers to feed, and the excreted coffee beans are mixed and sold as civet coffee.

Is It Really That Delicious?

In terms of the coffee itself, is it really that good to drink?

Compared to regular coffee, authentic civet coffee appears very thick, like syrup. It has a strong sweet aroma. In terms of taste, it has less of the typical coffee's acidity and bitterness but more astringency and earthy flavors, with a strange sensation of sweet aftertaste. Due to its thickness, the mouthfeel is quite smooth.

How to Distinguish Between Real and Fake

Distinguishing Civets and Masked Palm Civets

Through the above image, we can clearly distinguish that masked palm civets and civets have obvious differences in appearance (eyes, nose, mouth) that are all different. Ordinary people find it difficult to identify.

How to Identify Genuine Civet Coffee?

Authentic civet coffee (civet coffee) raw beans: pay attention to observing their shape: clean, easy to separate.

Characteristics of Masked Palm Civet Coffee

Masked palm civet coffee also typically has a body odor where the foul smell diminishes as if becoming fragrant. Many people also find stinky tofu very fragrant, let alone masked palm civets. The sugar content is consumed, so there's less bitterness after roasting. Moreover, masked palm civets eat all kinds of beans, unlike civets - even if the beans look similar, you have no idea why they eat some but not others. Bring over a large plate, they eat five or seven beans and then kick up a fuss, needing another plate - quite difficult to serve. Using masked palm civets ensures production. What comes from masked palm civets has varied food types, they eat a lot, their feces have good viscosity, making it easier to form large stool chunks.

This is also why many people use masked palm civets to replace civets to produce what they claim is civet coffee. Their body shapes are similar, making it easy to pass off as genuine. On the contrary, some people in the market think that if it's not large blocky stool-shaped coffee, it's not genuine civet coffee. Some people think that without stool chunks, you feel like there's no anti-counterfeit label. So if masked palm civet coffee isn't sold at high prices, some people will think it's fake.

The Fragile Feline Digestive System

Furthermore, the cat's digestive system is really too fragile.

Short intestines, weak peristalsis, especially the mesentery is vulnerable.

Therefore, intestinal obstruction and rectal prolapse are common diseases in cats.

The Tragic Reality

Civet coffee, but behind it lies the tragic lives of these cats...

No wonder netizens boycott civet coffee! No demand, no harm!

Indonesian Coffee Bean Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee's roasted Indonesian coffee beans from West Java honey processing have full guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, the cost-performance ratio is extremely high. One half-pound (227g) package costs only about 118 yuan. Calculating at 15g per cup, one package can make 15 cups, with each cup costing only about 7 yuan. Compared to coffee shops selling cups for dozens of yuan, this is truly a conscientious recommendation.