# Alternative to Rave Coffee?



## Boomish (Apr 8, 2016)

We have been purchasing Signature Blend & Italian Job Coffee Beans from Rave For a long time but last year they put the price up by one 15% on each, I wondered if there was another to try out? thats as good taste & value..

It's still not bad but up to 17.85 from £15.25 is a large price hike.

I thought I posted this yesterday but for reason its not in the forum, maybe I didn't submit the thread or this is the wrong place to ask?


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## Robbo (Feb 17, 2016)

Despite the price rise you will struggle to find a cheaper alternative for fresh roasted. 17.85 is still quite cheap for a KG.

I have used many but Redber and Coffee Compass are good and similarly priced.


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

I suppose it all depends on what you see as good value. Ive recently had some stunning coffee from Monsoon Estates at £6.75 for 227g which I considered to be a decent price, especially for the quality in the cup.

I don't let the cost govern my coffee purchases (to a level) and would far rather have the variety at a higher price.


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## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

If you like rave I recommend you take a look at casa espresso.

I've had quite a lot from both over last couple of years and they remind me of each other - on the darker side but not too dark and some great blends. High quality beans


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Boomish said:


> We have been purchasing Signature Blend & Italian Job Coffee Beans from Rave For a long time but last year they put the price up by one 15% on each, I wondered if there was another to try out? thats as good taste & value..
> 
> It's still not bad but up to 17.85 from £15.25 is a large price hike.
> 
> I thought I posted this yesterday but for reason its not in the forum, maybe I didn't submit the thread or this is the wrong place to ask?


Expect to see prices go up for alot of roasters this year, ( or some go bust ) as long term exchange rates and costs impact to the point where they can't hold off passing it on to the customer.

Rave do serious volume so if they are having to put prices up the rest will be thinking of it.

As said think of it in terms of how £17.85 a kilo compares to other roasters bit what the increase is.


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## CliveM2 (Jan 4, 2019)

Boomish said:


> We have been purchasing Signature Blend & Italian Job Coffee Beans from Rave For a long time but last year they put the price up by one 15% on each, I wondered if there was another to try out? thats as good taste & value..
> 
> It's still not bad but up to 17.85 from £15.25 is a large price hike.
> 
> I thought I posted this yesterday but for reason its not in the forum, maybe I didn't submit the thread or this is the wrong place to ask?


I suppose you need some luck as to when they do offers of free postage or their 20% off. I don't think their bean prices are too bad, I find the postage a bit high though. I love The Italian Job; I tried Signature and found it ok but not special - Chatwood works better for me so currently I rotate between Italian Job and Chatwood.


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## HowardSmith (Jan 21, 2018)

I use rave & pretty much always have... I do wish however that they did some kind of a loyalty scheme where you can collect point/get a discount...

when I see 20% off on your first order that kind of thing annoys me a bit because I am buying beans from them every month at full price


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## RazorliteX (Mar 2, 2014)

HowardSmith said:


> I use rave & pretty much always have... I do wish however that they did some kind of a loyalty scheme where you can collect point/get a discount...
> 
> when I see 20% off on your first order that kind of thing annoys me a bit because I am buying beans from them every month at full price


They throw out the odd discount code now and again, got some decent deals around Christmas and recall the odd one now and again over the summer.

My take on is that Rave are that aggressively priced for such a good quality bean, you would struggle to get comparable from anywhere else whether Rave are running a discount or not.


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## Boomish (Apr 8, 2016)

Thanks for all the helpful replies, I'll continue getting from Rave then & be thankful it's still competitive, I was wondering if maybe they had held this price for too long thats why it seems a large increase, thanks again for the re-assurance it's still good value. I tried to search a bit but with so many to choose from it then comes down to who does as good a quality.

Thanks Kennyboy for the recommendation of Casa Espresso, I'll try them & thanks to Robbo for Redber and Coffee Compass, they look good too. Also thanks to Working Dog, I did try Monsoon Estates before but found it a tad expensive then ended up preferring Rave blends & prices. And thanks to to CliveM2 for the Chatwood tip, I'll try that next!

I love this forum, thank to all you lovely helpful people I have a lovely coffee during my wrk day, I'm still a novice & only have a little old Gaggia but it makes truly wonderful coffee, though I'm going to be reading more threads this year on whats a good upgrade

Thanks again everyone great advice..


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## StuartS (Jan 2, 2015)

I continue to use Rave despite the price rise - I like IJ and now their Espresso Blend - still good value in my opinion. I buy 2 x 1kg bags (lasts me around 5 weeks) for free postage. What's that...6 quid a week for around 25 drinks - pretty good value really.

I agree with others comments...


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

Boomish said:


> Also thanks to Working Dog, I did try Monsoon Estates before but found it a tad expensive then ended up preferring Rave blends & prices.


No problem. It just shows how tastes vary.

Ive enjoyed some good single origin coffees from Rave but wouldn't thank them for signature or Italian job

It would be a dull world if we all enjoyed the same thing


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

At the price, the beans will take some beating.

To buy SO beans that are not too exclusive would cost around £600 a year at the same consumption so percentage-wise is a big jump.

If people enjoy the blends (and plenty do) then its good value.


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## 00bins (Aug 21, 2016)

arise Sir Thread ....

I've been buying from Rave for over 3 years now, and they have just put their prices up again by £2.50/kg for Italian Job beans. I like their coffee, but in light of this (https://pressreleases.responsesource.com/news/99555/rave-coffee-double-average-daily-orders-during-pandemic) it's a bit disappointing. I've emailed them about why their prices have gone up but so far no response. I'll still buy from them but would appreciate an alternative if anyone can recommend.

cheers

Rob


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## Boomish (Apr 8, 2016)

00bins said:


> arise Sir Thread ....
> 
> I've been buying from Rave for over 3 years now, and they have just put their prices up again by £2.50/kg for Italian Job beans. I like their coffee, but in light of this (https://pressreleases.responsesource.com/news/99555/rave-coffee-double-average-daily-orders-during-pandemic) it's a bit disappointing. I've emailed them about why their prices have gone up but so far no response. I'll still buy from them but would appreciate an alternative if anyone can recommend.
> 
> ...


 Wow I've just seen the same, I've been waiting for their 24 hour discount as over the past year or so they have increased their prices so much, we also had to limit our order to the Italian Job as other blends got so expensive, I can't believe they have increased prices from £13.50 in March to now £16..!! With such an increase in customers surely that's just greedy..


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Boomish said:


> Wow I've just seen the same, I've been waiting for their 24 hour discount as over the past year or so they have increased their prices so much, we also had to limit our order to the Italian Job as other blends got so expensive, I can't believe they have increased prices from £13.50 in March to now £16..!! With such an increase in customers surely that's just greedy..


 Yeah its not like they have lost all their wholesale customers in the uK and aboard they really on that make your retail prices cheaper...

A few more 250g bags will cover that volume up won't it ...

Oh wait ...

In the real world - £16 is still really cheap , too cheap for me to consider but try aldi or coffee compass pr somewhere if you are that bothered .


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## BlackCatCoffee (Apr 11, 2017)

In fairness to Rave as a fellow roaster I can tell you that wholesale prices are on the up constantly at the moment as the value of the £ changes against the $.

A Brazilian coffee we use in our Signature Blend is up by 28% since the start of the year, and that one isn't even the worst example.

It is frustrating for all but I think the pricing at Rave is more than fair given the current climate.

Just my two cents.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

00bins said:


> arise Sir Thread ....
> 
> I've been buying from Rave for over 3 years now, and they have just put their prices up again by £2.50/kg for Italian Job beans. I like their coffee, but in light of this (https://pressreleases.responsesource.com/news/99555/rave-coffee-double-average-daily-orders-during-pandemic) it's a bit disappointing. I've emailed them about why their prices have gone up but so far no response. I'll still buy from them but would appreciate an alternative if anyone can recommend.
> 
> ...


 Again why do you think you think you deserve a reply ....

But , no wholesale customers that they roast in huge qty's for mean that your beans go up. A few extra home buyers will not cover off th commercial contracts they have lost


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

And no doubt there will be concerns around future supply driving up current prices too....


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## grumble (Mar 16, 2020)

I think Rave are still pretty cheap (and good). 🤷‍♂️


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

£to$ is up is £1-$1.23 today it was $1.16 in the brexit talks

Coffee isnt a need, its a want. A hobby.

You dont have to buy it, or buy cheaper lower quality. Atm most are trying to keep their livelihoods alive


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## Boomish (Apr 8, 2016)

Mrboots2u said:


> Yeah its not like they have lost all their wholesale customers in the uK and aboard they really on that make your retail prices cheaper...
> 
> A few more 250g bags will cover that volume up won't it ...
> 
> ...


 Thanks for rude unhelpful reply, no need to be so sarcastic ..


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## johnealey (May 19, 2014)

I too see weekly green price lists from 4 major wholesalers and costs of the green beans have risen over the past two years quite often monthly, so what may well have been happening is that the price differences were being absorbed by the Roaster rather than being passed onto the customers. At £16 a kilo this is still an inexpensive coffee that is roasted by a small company that does not have the economies of scale that the larger commercial roasters have in being able to buy beans way cheaper than their real value.

Whilst I get the need to save money if and when things are tight, if you bear in mind tesco's sell Taylors Italian beans for £3.75 (227g) and Lavazza café espresso beans for £4.10 (250g) the £4 for 250g (without postage, but 2nd class is cheap, beans need to rest let them do it in the posy) for Rave Italian is not such a step up in price at all.

If you work on an 18g measure of coffee per cup on old price of £13.50 (which always thought was a really low price) is 24.3p per portion whereas new price is 28.8p per portion or an increase of 4.5p per cup.

Please note am neither knocking any of the brands sold at supermarket or Raves Italian job, just trying to put the increase into some form of context and not even going into the pay the farmer the right price for what they grow.

Yes you can get cheaper but would you really want to if what you are drinking you do not enjoy? One of my brothers swears by beans from a German supermarket that I personally think are a travesty tastewise (and am vocal / honest with him) but the cheapest I can roast share a bean with him (without postage) is still £1.20 more than he currently pays so despite mine tasting way better he always comes back to cost.

If you are searching out cheaper beans take into account postage as this can erode any savings real quick and bear in mind the quality / freshness of what you getting may be nowhere close to what you have been getting from Rave.

Hope has been of some help and in no way knocking any need to be cost conscious, just explaining what may not have been apparent as to why costs have gone up .

John


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Boomish said:


> Thanks for rude unhelpful reply, no need to be so sarcastic ..


 My pleasure , you labelled a company greedy when you have little insight into why their prices are going up, or what they have offered members over the last few year , or what coffee actually costs , you throw the mud , get some back mate

Companies are people , you are getting really cheap coffee still.

If you don;t like it , don't slag em off , go somewhere else .


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## 24774 (Mar 8, 2020)

As others have said, large picture the £ has crashed since Brexit, a drop from €1.43 to a high peak of about €1.18 during recovery periods. There was a hard crash at start of March to about €1.06. They've dealt with these costs over the last few years, but as margins have become smaller it becomes harder to continue taking hits. Small picture, wholesale has dropped out due to Covid and they are struggling to maintain their already very low prices.

They are trying to continue to make their business viable. They also know their is real economic hardship is to come, we will be crashing out of the EU at the end of the year and that will make now seem like picnic. They are merely trying to keep the business going and still provide a great product and service at a very reasonable cost. Which in my amateurish coffee opinion, they are doing.


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## HDAV (Dec 28, 2012)

Looking for an alternative why not try https://cliftoncoffee.co.uk/shop/coffee/single-origin/sao-sebastiao/


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## matted (Sep 30, 2019)

There are many other roasters discussed, praised and recommended within the 'Beans' forum.

Also check out the Uk based roasters thread stickied at the top.

You could also search the coffee map for local roasters to you that you might want to try or support.


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## HDAV (Dec 28, 2012)

https://dancing-goat.co.uk/product-category/dancing-goat-coffee-at-home/whole-bean-coffee-for-home/

£12.95 a kilo posted........ must be a bargain.......


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## shodjoe1 (Apr 25, 2018)

https://coffeelink.com/


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## 00bins (Aug 21, 2016)

Mrboots2u said:


> Again why do you think you think you deserve a reply ....


 Why would I not - the contact email is there for people to ask questions no? I'm still buying their coffee. I did receive a reply last night btw explaining their situation


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## 00bins (Aug 21, 2016)

Thanks for all the replies


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## Boomish (Apr 8, 2016)

Mrboots2u said:


> My pleasure , you labelled a company greedy when you have little insight into why their prices are going up, or what they have offered members over the last few year , or what coffee actually costs , you throw the mud , get some back mate
> 
> Companies are people , you are getting really cheap coffee still.
> 
> If you don;t like it , don't slag em off , go somewhere else .


 What an arrogant insulting person you are, what's wrong with actually replying in a nice fashion, myself and 00bins both asked what I thought was a reasonable question. I've been a customer of Rave for many years and if you bother to look have raised questions about their large prices rises before, these are not inline with inflation and are extremely large increases in price , nothing incremental. To me their sudden price changes seem OTT why would someone else come here and post exactly the same question..

I run a company and know fully well about looking after people and customers, this seems out of the ordinary, maybe they would be best helped by putting out a reason why they have to make such a large increase at a time when business is booming.

Read the post I said "surely that's being greedy" I'm not slagging them off and often tell people about the company, like 00bins said it's disappointing, you had the cheek to say " and why do you think you deserve a reply" to them, honestly? What's wrong with you! if you don't like what people post and you can't be constructive or courteous don't bother replying.


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## Boomish (Apr 8, 2016)

00bins said:


> Thanks for all the replies


 Seconded thanks for the replies apart from 1 .


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## grumble (Mar 16, 2020)

'Surely that's being greedy' sounds like slagging them off to me. Also, you're talking about rises over inflation but you've already had explained that wholesale coffee bean prices have gone up way more than that.

I have no dog in this fight but I'm not into slating companies who seem to me to be doing a decent job.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Boomish said:


> What an arrogant insulting person you are, what's wrong with actually replying in a nice fashion, myself and 00bins both asked what I thought was a reasonable question. I've been a customer of Rave for many years and if you bother to look have raised questions about their large prices rises before, these are not inline with inflation and are extremely large increases in price , nothing incremental. To me their sudden price changes seem OTT why would someone else come here and post exactly the same question..
> 
> I run a company and know fully well about looking after people and customers, this seems out of the ordinary, maybe they would be best helped by putting out a reason why they have to make such a large increase at a time when business is booming.
> 
> Read the post I said "surely that's being greedy" I'm not slagging them off and often tell people about the company, like 00bins said it's disappointing, you had the cheek to say " and why do you think you deserve a reply" to them, honestly? What's wrong with you! if you don't like what people post and you can't be constructive or courteous don't bother replying.


 Lets try again

I see these kind of indignant posts whenever a roaster puts their prices up ,( Rave , Has-been , Union ) sometimes in an effort to shame them , sometimes in an effort to get enough people to convince them to change their mind . But ...

There are plenty of people selling commodity grade coffee for under 14 pounds a kilo , feel free to tho choose one of those. That is what you are buying at those prices so dont be too fussed where you get if from. IMHO

I know you own a business but lets look at some of the factors that are impinging on roasters/ businesses at the moment .

National Minimum Wage went up in April , plus who knows where they are in the pension scheme and contributions they have to make ( between 1-3 %)

Exchange rate is knackered forcing up green coffee prices.

They are a bulk volume roaster, bulk , tons a eek , internet orders are supported by tons of coffee being roasted for Contracts both in and out the UK. This volume simply no longer exits for a roaster, less volume will mean at some point they pass this cost back onto the customer .

I know you think its a boom time for rasters and Rave coz of a piece of publicity that has come out, but it isn't . It's a nice story to get publicity out there and I am glad for coffee roasters .

The price seen coffee gets for the work the farmers put in , is terrible , because pope do not see the value in the process and risk these people take, .

It saddens me when i see a post complaining about coffee going price and people , companies being labelled as greedy when they are not even paying £16 a kilo.


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## Grahamg (Oct 24, 2013)

I've been buying from rave for years too, and come from the opposite direction - raves prices would just remain static for what felt like years and I'd be thinking "how the hell are they still doing that for xxx a kilo?!" then a price rise would kick in and I'd just think it was long overdue.

I was only aggrieved when my regular bean (mocha java) got changed to a darker roast - I've struggled to find a reliable alternative ever since, but fortunately they've had a good few reasonable alternatives throughout. On that front, the black cat choc blend was the best alternative find yet, but it had gone from the website when I came to re order.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk


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## BlackCatCoffee (Apr 11, 2017)

Grahamg said:


> I've been buying from rave for years too, and come from the opposite direction - raves prices would just remain static for what felt like years and I'd be thinking "how the hell are they still doing that for xxx a kilo?!" then a price rise would kick in and I'd just think it was long overdue.
> 
> I was only aggrieved when my regular bean (mocha java) got changed to a darker roast - I've struggled to find a reliable alternative ever since, but fortunately they've had a good few reasonable alternatives throughout. On that front, the black cat choc blend was the best alternative find yet, but it had gone from the website when I came to re order.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk


 Appreciate that. We have more green coffee landing tomorrow and it will be back.


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## filthynines (May 2, 2016)

I think in fairness there's a lot to be said for transparency in pricing. There are limits, but a heads-up on a price increase can't hurt.


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## jeff-72 (Apr 14, 2020)

I get my coffee from Limini: liminicoffee.co.uk. I'm a happy customer - check them out.

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