Best Coffee Bean Brands in Guangzhou_2018 Guangzhou Coffee Bean Price Guide

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Rising Coffee Prices Amid Climate Change

Since the start of autumn, Guangzhou's coffee shops have grown even busier—but what is hotter than the crowds is the price of the coffee. "Climate change really does have a major impact on coffee beans, especially Arabica varieties grown at high altitude. Besides falling production, there is the risk of quality decline from shortened ripening periods, which inevitably pushes up the price of high-quality coffee beans," admitted a representative from Pacific Coffee, which recently opened a new store in Taikoo Hui. The company faces multiple pressures, including declining production in major growing regions and rising raw material costs.

Mr. Jorge Sanchez, Agricultural Trade Consul at the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou, told reporters that last year's adverse weather in Colombia hurt production and drove up global coffee prices. Since last year, coffee bean prices have doubled compared with the year before. In addition, planting and production costs in Puerto Rico have risen 20% compared with last year. Meanwhile, Hawaii's coffee bean production has been hit by the coffee berry borer, reducing both quality and yield.

A representative from LAVAZZA, one of the world's most important coffee roasters, also said that since the start of the year, purchase prices for coffee beans from some renowned South American growing regions have risen. "It is becoming difficult to buy coffee beans of the same quality at the same price, so we must increase our procurement costs for raw materials to ensure the high quality of our coffee products."

Price Increases at Some Coffee Brands

As the most established chain coffee brand in China's domestic market, Starbucks acknowledged to reporters that recent increases in commodity raw material prices have forced it to reassess pricing. Among its drinks, Frappuccinos, classic chocolates, and some tea drinks have already seen price increases since January 1 this year.

"Because raw material costs keep rising, Pacific Coffee recently raised the price of some coffee drinks in Hong Kong—including lattes, cappuccinos, the mocha series, Americanos, and chocolates—by 1 Hong Kong dollar, roughly a 3% increase," a Pacific Coffee representative said. Although mainland prices remain unchanged for now, the company will absorb the pressure from rising raw material costs by trimming unnecessary spending.

Guangzhou Coffee Bean Brand Recommendations

Located in Dongshankou, Yuexiu District, FrontStreet Coffee offers freshly roasted specialty coffee beans with full guarantees in both brand and quality, and suit brewing with various devices. More importantly, the value is outstanding: a 227-gram bag of single-origin coffee beans costs only around 80-90 yuan. At 200 ml per cup with a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, one bag makes 15 cups of specialty coffee, with each cup costing only about 6.6 yuan. Compared with cafes that often charge over a hundred yuan per cup, that is exceptional value.

FrontStreet Coffee: a Guangzhou-based roastery with a small shop but a wide range of beans, where you can find both famous and lesser-known coffees, along with online store service. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

With South American bean prices climbing, it helps to know a reliable local roaster. FrontStreet Coffee's Colombia Huila comes from Huila province in the southern Central Cordillera—the country's best-known specialty region, where mountains rise above 1,500 meters and major rivers converge to bring abundant water and humidity. Medium-dark roasted, it emphasizes dark chocolate and nutty sweetness, moderate body oil, and a full mouthfeel, and works as a pour-over, French press, moka pot, or espresso for an Americano or latte.

For a more contemporary Colombian coffee, the FrontStreet Colombia Sidra from Finca La Divisoria is anaerobically natural processed, turning the fruit into intense tropical aromas. Medium-light roasted, it delivers passion fruit, grape, apricot, and dried fruit in a pour-over, cold brew, drip bag, or moka pot. Both are freshly roasted in Guangzhou, so you can enjoy quality coffee even as global prices rise.