# Union Roasted Prices



## series530 (Jan 4, 2013)

Over the past year or so I've purchased Revelation blend every month or so from Union Roasted.

I went to buy a kilo yesterday and noticed a 25% increase in the price compared to my last purchase.

I've sent a mail to Union asking what has caused the price rise but am keen to know if others have noticed similar with this or any other coffee and know why it has happened.

thanks


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Who knows why , except Union. They are charging more to pay more or to make more money or both.

A lot of their beans are direct trade so one hopes that some of the increase are being passed direct to farmers ... But there are Plenty of roasters out there to choose from . Weigh up your options and if not happy with the value you perceive to be getting them there are plenty of others to choose from .

I tweeted Union and they replied that across prices hadn't gone up in3 years and across the board some had gone up some down .

Your " increase " may be a reflection of a static price but a change in bag weight perhaps ( 250to200)


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## Eyedee (Sep 13, 2010)

I noticed Limini have put a couple of quid per kilo on their prices. Funny when I asked a roaster friend in the USA about prices he said they are slightly less than earlier this year.

Hey ho, you pays your money and takes your chance.

Ian


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

I have advised Union of the concerns raised so that they have an opportunity to respond.


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## series530 (Jan 4, 2013)

Mrboots2u said:


> Who knows why , except Union. They are charging more to pay more or to make more money or both.
> 
> A lot of their beans are direct trade so one hopes that some of the increase are being passed direct to farmers ... But there are Plenty of roasters out there to choose from . Weigh up your options and if not happy with the value you perceive to be getting them there are plenty of others to choose from .
> 
> ...


No, it's 1Kg vs. 1Kg .. so the same.


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## series530 (Jan 4, 2013)

Glenn said:


> I have advised Union of the concerns raised so that they have an opportunity to respond.


Thanks Glenn,

that's much appreciated.

I would like to stay with Union as I like Revelation blend in my cappuccino and my grinder is set up nicely. However, that sort of hike hurts the wallet too much and demands either an answer or choosing a different supplier.

Out of interest, what is the recommendation for a robust bean that doesn't get drowned when used with milk in a cappuccino?


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

Hill and valley or Jampit Hit from Coffee Compass.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

series530 said:


> No, it's 1Kg vs. 1Kg .. so the same.


Price for 250 g is now for 200g bag

So maths is 1 kg is 25 percent more ?

5 lots lf 200 in a kg

4 lots of 250 in a kg

25 percent price difference ...

Crude maths but this might explain the difference in a kg price ( even tho it's only one bag ? )


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## series530 (Jan 4, 2013)

Mrboots2u said:


> Price for 250 g is now for 200g bag
> 
> So maths is 1 kg is 25 percent more ?
> 
> ...


Last time I bought (a month or so ago) the price excluding delivery for a 1kg bag was £18.95. If I place an order today the cost is £24.90 plus delivery. My original calculation took delivery into account. If I separate the delivery the hike is even higher than 25%


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

We did have a thread on this but it got nuked for some reason.

I believe Union said that it had been a while since price increases had last occurred, so it had to happen. It's certainly true that a lot of roasters have kept prices consistent for a while now, so just like other products commodity or speciality price increases will eventually have to come.

As boots says there is no shortage of roasters, and there are prices right across the spectrum still.

I still believe we will see more price increases from others, and that £20 a kg (not wholesale) is cheap and not sustainable, but that's another thread and an issue we have done to death.


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## Condyk (Jan 9, 2011)

Eyedee said:


> I noticed Limini have put a couple of quid per kilo on their prices.


Interesting that Ian (eyedee), I hadn't bought from them for a couple of months. Worth noting maybe that Limini prices have been the same since 2010 when I opened my first shop, so I'm actually pleased they've put the prices up given their service quality and consistency. Seems they're now similar priced to Rave.

Personally, at the price you're paying now Ian (series530) I'd at least think about shopping around, either Limini or Rave might be a start. Both are class roasters IMO with top service. If you get a similar taste profile, and I'm sure you can, seems you can save £8-10 per 1kg with P&P. Check the bean composition of the different blends from each against your current blend. Won't be the same but a good way to start comparing I'd say. The Limini Liscio for example is great with milk and a darker roast with Brazil, Costa Rica, Indonesia sourced beans, so may be close enough. It's also easy to work and consistent.


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## Fevmeister (Oct 21, 2013)

I would like to know why the last thread on this topic got deleted


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Fevmeister said:


> I would like to know why the last thread on this topic got deleted


Presumably because it was full of misinformation


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

aaronb said:


> I still believe we will see more price increases from others, and that £20 a kg (not wholesale) is cheap and not sustainable, but that's another thread and an issue we have done to death.


That's £5 per 'retail' bag, which some people still find a bit pricey too.


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Fevmeister said:


> I would like to know why the last thread on this topic got deleted


It's not fair on any supplier when a person who has never posted joins and posts misinformation which leads to a debate where the facts are not correct to start with.


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## Union_Jeremy (Nov 10, 2015)

First of all I'd say yes we have indeed just made our first price increase in just over three years, but in doing so have made an error in timing. We had intended for a letter to go out to all of our regular customers to advise of this at the same time the new pricing went live on the site. I apologise to any and all for our failure here but assure all our regulars that they will hear from us on Monday or Tuesday latest. If for any reason you have not received a note, please do contact us direct by email with the subject line 'Coffee Forum thread'.

Since Steven and I started Union back in 2001, we've always been dedicated to providing some of the highest quality coffee sourced through truly sustainable partnerships. Paying a fair price to farmers who produce our coffee is absolutely central to our philosophy, which is why we review what we pay farmers and producers each year, without normally increasing the cost to our customers.

We also need to be commercially minded however so that we have a confident and sustainable business.

Now, after three years when origin and other supply chain costs have continued to increase we have taken the decision to increase the price on some of our coffees (some have gone up, some have come down), and to do this on our smaller packs by changing the size of our retail & online packs so that they remain easily affordable. I recognise however that the full 1Kg bags will have changed more significantly or immediately visibly.

On the subject of 'shrinkflation', we agonised for ages over the pack size vs price issue and I'd comment here that after 15 years of selling coffee online, in delis, cafes and one or two supermarkets, our experience is that ticket price on pack does seem to make a difference regardless of size. OK I appreciate that this might not apply to everyone reading this forum but many people do shop making decisions as to whether to buy based on spend and not necessarily on the equivalent price per 100g. We spoke to many people and the result was that they mostly preferred to have a smaller pack as the coffee would 'stay fresher whilst getting through it' or would prefer a smaller cash amount to lay out per pack. Again this might not be true of everyone on the forum and if so, I'm sorry and again by all means drop us a line at our address [email protected]

The price change will allow us to continue paying more than just a fair price to coffee producers. This provides a beacon for quality and recognises that coffee farmers are also aspirational. Our cost and pricing decisions are supported by real origin information - we have for the last few years employed a key member of the Union team who is based in Central America and who spends her time amongst the farmers and communities understanding the needs and challenges they face. You might find some of her blog articles of interest (unionroasted.com/blog)

As ever our aim is to offer some of the very best quality coffee at accessible prices to our customers and we hope that you will stay with us as we try to continue our journey.

Jeremy & Steven.


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

Any chance of forum discount code, Jeremy. I don't doubt that we are small fry in terms of your sales, but we do appreciate that kind of thing


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## Tewdric (Apr 20, 2014)

A matter of opinion. I love Union coffee and have recommended it loads here and elsewhere for a long time now. Revelation is an amazing bean for new espresso machine owners and for people looking for a recreation of that amazing shot they had in Naples that time. There's a sort of cough to getting the comms wrong in the response above and cutting the pack size without, at least, telling your regulars is not a move that will cultivate loyalty. The response is really encouraging but I bet if Union had a chance to back in time they'd handle this one differently. Still love their coffee though!


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## Union_Jeremy (Nov 10, 2015)

Hey why the hell not! That sounds like a good idea, I'm sure we can put something out for you guys, all fry are important. I'll post on Monday when I've spoken with someone who knows more about the tech stuff than I do.


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## glevum (Apr 4, 2013)

Excellent. never tried Union.


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## Union_Jeremy (Nov 10, 2015)

Tewdric said:


> I bet if Union had a chance to back in time they'd handle this one differently.


Betcha I would!


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Had some fo the micro lots form Brazil earlier in the year - super tasty

The filter on offer a cup north was delicious too


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## Flibster (Aug 15, 2010)

To be fair, Union aren't the only ones who have done a significant price increase in the last year. Was for the same reason too.


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## series530 (Jan 4, 2013)

Firstly, I would like to thank Jeremy for explaining, at length, what has happened and for being honest enough to admit that the timing was less than perfect.

Slightly under two years ago my wife and I gave up our jobs and started our own business. It was successful immediately and continues to be so to this day - keeping us very busy and very driven. It's the main reason why my posting on this forum has been so little recently - I simply haven't had much down time. Anyway, going into business for the first time has taught me many things and I can totally sympathise with Jeremy when it comes to balancing the needs of suppliers and customers. Some supply chains squeeze the very last penny at every opportunity so as to maximise margin. We prefer to be fair to everyone - I prefer to sleep soundly with a feeling that we didn't extort a fortune for our customers under duress and that our suppliers will still want and be in a position to work with us tomorrow, next week and next month.

I know that buying coffee in 1Kg bags isn't the best approach from a freshness standpoint. I make it a mission to have a double shot in a cappuccino each morning as I start my working day. Buying a kilo is something I do once a month or so and it is more convenient than ideal.

It's a tough pill to swallow when your favourite coffee, delivered to you door step increases in price from £23.45 to £29.40. Psychologically, it feels worse to me in discovering this almost by accident and then finding that the smaller sized bags are now even smaller and that the website is bolder and better. Cynically it makes me think that what I am paying for is the cost of rebuilding the website and a degree of company re-branding. While this may not be the case, as Jeremy has suggested, the whole thing doesn't sit comfortably with me. I feel heavily let down as a customer.

Most people accept that prices have to rise every now and again and, particularly in developing worlds, conducting ethical business means that costs probably increase more than in more established countries such as the UK. We've increased our prices a number of times as our business has established itself. As with everyone, we need a comfortable margin to as to make the business sustainable and to give us an income. Most of our customers have followed us along this journey and accepted that a quality product doesn't come dirt cheap. However, if I was to increase my price by 25% overnight I doubt that many would still follow the road with me. Had I increased my prices incrementally by, say 10% a year, I suspect that most would have done so.

Perhaps I am the most unlucky customer in wanting Revelation in 1kg bags. Had I preferred something else, perhaps I may have even seen a price reduction. It isn't my intention to try to lever the price back down again. I accept that the price is the price and that some discount may be offered to forum members. I will have to think long and hard though, before I order another bag of revelation.


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## Union_Jeremy (Nov 10, 2015)

As promised, I've spoken to the tech people and together we have created a discount code for you to all use on our website unionroasted.com. Just enter "COFFEEFORUMS" at the checkout and you'll receive a 20% discount off your coffee until the end of this month 30th November (for coffees on our main website).

This code is just for Coffee Forum members, we wanted to make sure we showed you all some love for the invaluable feedback you have given us. So please keep it to yourselves as we've limited the number of users who can take advantage of it. Plenty for all on here of course!

I hope this goes in some way to show we really care what you all think and try our best to ensure our loyal customers feel valued. Once again if any of you want to discuss any of this in more detail I would love to hear from you at [email protected].

Jeremy & Steven


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

That's a generous offer - thank you.


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## Tewdric (Apr 20, 2014)

Great stuff thank you. Nice to get the regular customer email too!


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## series530 (Jan 4, 2013)

The gesture is certainly very much appreciated. I'll glad I raised the question!


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## Soll (Nov 10, 2013)

@Union_Jeremy smashing offer by the way, well done. How long do you recommend resting your roasts?


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## RazorliteX (Mar 2, 2014)

On a side note I'm all for price changes as opposed to shrinkflation mainly because 1) you know where you stand and 2) if you order more to get the same amount for your favourite coffee the delivery costs if per unit can substantially change the price.

Top marks anyway for responding, someone show me to the union coffee reviews thread.


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## Union_Jeremy (Nov 10, 2015)

Soll said:


> @Union_Jeremy smashing offer by the way, well done. How long do you recommend resting your roasts?


Thanks, and that's a good question, one I find is different strokes for different folks. We have some regular customers that we hold and release the coffee to so they get it day 6 and another that swares by 9 days. I think if you give most roasts at least 4-5 days you bypass the major degassing and get stability before oxidisation is evident. Sharper your grinder blades the better when it's super fresh though is a good rule!


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## Union_Jeremy (Nov 10, 2015)

@RazorliteX thanks for the comment and good point on delivery charges. We've tried to put these into bands that give some flexibility but appreciate we won't get it right for everyone or option. Do spend a lot of time thinking about it though!


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## Soll (Nov 10, 2013)

@Union_Jeremy received my first order of Union coffee this morning, nice packaging and aroma. I'll be ready to try these out in a week when my current roasts are done cheers!


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

Thanks for the code Jeremy, have duly ordered.


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## monkey66 (Aug 8, 2014)

Thanks for the code Jeremy. My issue is that 200g is to small to dial in and enjoy and 1kg is to big for me to drink before it goes flat. 350-500g is perfect for me. .. I don't know what overs think?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Buy two bags then


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

I think that transparency and comms are key. I would happily pay more to know that doing so meant some farmer was being paid fairly.

Be proud of your price increase and tell people what that means for sustainable, quality coffee!

I'm as tight as the next man - maybe tighter - but let's keep the costs in perspective...

Even if your using 20g per double (assuming zero wastage) a £30 kilo bag is still only 60p in espresso per double. (Ignoring the cost of volvic!).

Even the cheapest high street undrinkable nasty is a couple of quid.


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## simontc (May 21, 2014)

Union_Jeremy said:


> As promised, I've spoken to the tech people and together we have created a discount code for you to all use on our website unionroasted.com. Just enter "COFFEEFORUMS" at the checkout and you'll receive a 20% discount off your coffee until the end of this month 30th November (for coffees on our main website).
> 
> This code is just for Coffee Forum members, we wanted to make sure we showed you all some love for the invaluable feedback you have given us. So please keep it to yourselves as we've limited the number of users who can take advantage of it. Plenty for all on here of course!
> 
> ...


Thanks guys; had some of your wares in restaurants before and wasn't impressed. Trying some of your delights at London coffee festival though I was delighted- wonderful coffees on hand and the best nitro cold brew in the show, beating sandows hands down!


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## simontc (May 21, 2014)

jonc said:


> Even if your using 20g per double (assuming zero wastage) a £30 kilo bag is still only 60p in espresso per double. (Ignoring the cost of volvic!).
> 
> Even the cheapest high street undrinkable nasty is a couple of quid.


If only more people thought like this. I think we had a similar discussion when has bean unleashed the expensive pacamaras- still cheaper than a coffee on the high street and considerably better quality.

The homebrewers around will get the drift too... I recently was perturbed at an outlay of 20 quid to make a beer (compared to less for other beers id made), then I realised an 8.5 % smoked porter coming in at 50p a pint is deal ofths century!


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## Grahamg (Oct 24, 2013)

Just finished mooching over the site, can't believe I'd not heard of them earlier. Ethics worth an awful lot, time to stop being tight about my beans.


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

How's everybody getting on with the union stuff?

I'm away for a few days over Christmas so considering getting a few bags of fruity or interesting things to aeropress...


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

I didn't get coffee this time . But the single origin stuff i had earlier in the year was quality . Worth a go


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