Why is Blue Mountain Flavored Coffee So Cheap? How Much is Authentic Blue Mountain Coffee per Pound?

Recently, some friends have asked FrontStreet Coffee: are those Blue Mountain coffee products sold online for just tens of yuan per large bag authentic? Indeed, due to the far-reaching reputation of Blue Mountain coffee, counterfeit products are endless. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee will teach everyone how to identify authentic Blue Mountain coffee beans.

What Makes Authentic Blue Mountain Coffee Beans?

Authentic Blue Mountain coffee must appear in the form of coffee beans. Blue Mountain coffee beans refer to coffee beans produced in the core region of Jamaica's Blue Mountains. The flavor characteristics are a balance of sour, sweet, and bitter, with a mellow, smooth, and comfortable mouthfeel. The reason it's so famous is that in the 70s and 80s, Blue Mountain coffee beans were the only ones worldwide that prioritized quality. Combined with promotion by the Japanese, Blue Mountain coffee ascended to the status of "King of Coffee." Blue Mountain became known in China when the results of reform and opening up became effective in the 90s. Coffee was only available in high-end hotels, typically used to entertain foreign dignitaries. Among them, Blue Mountain coffee was the finest, and later wealthy people could also enjoy a cup of coffee in hotels.

Honestly, China didn't have much coffee culture at that time, and naturally, there weren't many cultural preconceptions. When tasting what was then the most expensive coffee, people assumed it must be the best, which is why Blue Mountain gained such immense popularity in China.

Generally, in China, Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee is commonly referred to as Blue Mountain coffee. In fact, Blue Mountain coffee also includes No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and Peaberry. No. 1 is the highest grade of Blue Mountain coffee beans and also the finest coffee beans.

Early on, mainland China didn't have direct imports of Blue Mountain coffee beans; they could only be introduced in small quantities from Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Japan, making them particularly precious. It wasn't until 2010 when the Hangzhou Coffee and Western Restaurant Industry Association was invited to visit Jamaica that a letter of intent for the exclusive distribution of Blue Mountain green coffee beans in China was signed. In May 2011, the first container of Blue Mountain green beans arrived at Ningbo Port, and China finally had directly imported Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee beans.

Authentic Blue Mountain coffee beans are imported in original wooden barrels, with only three specifications: 15kg, 30kg, and 70kg. Therefore, some smaller coffee shops cannot afford the price of an entire barrel (or the sales volume) and choose to share orders, making it difficult to prove to consumers that it's genuine Blue Mountain. FrontStreet Coffee initially purchased entire barrels of Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans, specifically from the Clifton Farm, which was also the earliest coffee bean producer to trade with China.

In 2019, FrontStreet Coffee also applied for an authorized distributor certificate from Jamaica's Clifton Farm. FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain coffee beans are priced at 158 yuan/100g. Some friends have seen Blue Mountain coffee beans on certain e-commerce platforms selling for 300-500 yuan. When encountering some batches with unusually low prices, they worry they might be fake. Blue Mountain coffee did indeed reach prices of 300-500 yuan in the past, mainly due to extremely limited domestic quotas, making it rare and thus valuable, plus the markups by various distributors; however, after establishing direct channels, China's share in purchasing Blue Mountain coffee beans has grown larger. The reason some can still sell at such high prices now is actually taking advantage of information asymmetry.

Which "Blue Mountain Coffees" Are Obviously Fake?

After discussing which ones are genuine Blue Mountain, FrontStreet Coffee will share several types of obviously fake Blue Mountain coffees. When you see coffees with the characteristics that FrontStreet Coffee has introduced, don't hesitate—they are counterfeit.

First Type: Blue Mountain Instant Coffee

Blue Mountain coffee must appear in the form of coffee beans or ground coffee. Instant coffee is basically fake Blue Mountain, or it uses the Blue Mountain name to deceive the public.

Second Type: Blue Mountain Flavor, Blue Mountain Blend

This type is also playing on the edge. Although the product doesn't claim this is genuine Blue Mountain, it just says "Blue Mountain flavored coffee" or "Blue Mountain blended coffee," or it uses other coffee beans through dark roasting + blending to imitate the "taste of Blue Mountain coffee." Such products are definitely not authentic Blue Mountain coffee products.

Third Type: Extremely Low, Unreasonably Low Prices

What's meant by extremely low prices here refers to unreasonably low situations. For example, although FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain coffee is considered inexpensive among Blue Mountain beans, it's positioned at a price where costs can be calculated while still maintaining profit margins. However, some Blue Mountain products selling for just tens of yuan per kilogram are undoubtedly counterfeit. After all, if they were genuine, wouldn't business owners lose more money the more they sell? Therefore, as consumers, we must keep our eyes wide open and not be tempted by small bargains.

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