# Pricing Variations. Why so different?



## RoyB (Apr 22, 2020)

I'm new to this. I do understand basic business costs. Locational differences etc

But why is there such a variation in pricing for roasted coffee beans. Seems like it can be anything from £5 to £15 for about 250g.

I have found that the more expensive beans seem to taste better but is it just "you get what you pay for"?

Is there anything super tasty in the lower price bracket?

All advice welcomed.


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## Rob1 (Apr 9, 2015)

Quality.

High number of defects-to-low-to-none all different price points.

Roaster reputation.

Rare flavours vs common

Production quantity from the farm. Demand.


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## filthynines (May 2, 2016)

To a certain extent there's a significant analogy with wine: very loosely, if you a buy a £5 bottle of wine then only 50p (or whatever) is the actual wine, whereas if you buy a £10 bottle of wine then £5.50 goes into the wine.

There is a significant difference in the cost of green beans, too. Obviously, that has its limits, but there are often beans on the offer lists which are 4x the price of the cheapest beans on there, going up to £18/kg before delivery. Again, some beans eclipse this price and never hit the offer lists because they're snapped up before they're even at the harbour.

After that it's a myriad of factors. For example, Square Mile surprised me with their £14 for 350g of a blend (Sweetshop) but it's actually well worth the price IMO. They've added value by a) roasting exceptionally well and b) blending two beans which create a coffee better than the sum of its parts. And yes, built into that are the additional costs of operating in London etc etc.


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

There are different types/ qualities / varieties, to a degree you do get what you pay for IF that type/ quality of bean is to your taste / palate.

Just because it is expensive you may not enjoy it at all. Coffee like wine, beer ,tea it is very much a matter of personal taste. It also depends on brew method.

The two basic bean types are Arabica= higher quality Robusta = lesser quality, tendency to strong and bitter.


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## RoyB (Apr 22, 2020)

filthynines said:


> To a certain extent there's a significant analogy with wine: very loosely, if you a buy a £5 bottle of wine then only 50p (or whatever) is the actual wine, whereas if you buy a £10 bottle of wine then £5.50 goes into the wine.
> 
> There is a significant difference in the cost of green beans, too. Obviously, that has its limits, but there are often beans on the offer lists which are 4x the price of the cheapest beans on there, going up to £18/kg before delivery. Again, some beans eclipse this price and never hit the offer lists because they're snapped up before they're even at the harbour.
> 
> After that it's a myriad of factors. For example, Square Mile surprised me with their £14 for 350g of a blend (Sweetshop) but it's actually well worth the price IMO. They've added value by a) roasting exceptionally well and b) blending two beans which create a coffee better than the sum of its parts. And yes, built into that are the additional costs of operating in London etc etc.


 Thanks for that wine analogy. Makes sense.also the winemaker can also make a difference...clearly. I suppose it is experimentation.

I have bought from Square mile and James. Very happy with both and I have just ordered the filter blend from Square Mile.

Are there any subscription services from the equivalent of the Wine Society or Naked for coffee? That bring you the best and leave out the rest?


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## RoyB (Apr 22, 2020)

El carajillo said:


> There are different types/ qualities / varieties, to a degree you do get what you pay for IF that type/ quality of bean is to your taste / palate.
> 
> Just because it is expensive you may not enjoy it at all. Coffee like wine, beer ,tea it is very much a matter of personal taste. It also depends on brew method.
> 
> The two basic bean types are Arabica= higher quality Robusta = lesser quality, tendency to strong and bitter.


 Thank you. Ill steer clear of Robusta!!!


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## RoyB (Apr 22, 2020)

Quality is key then. I suppose I need to obtain it consistently! Thank you


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Just bare in mind, coffee is a seasonal product affected by seasonal and climate variations BEFORE it even gets to the roastery.

These variations / changes need to be accommodated an balanced out in the roasting to maintain consistency taste / flavour.

Do you prefer light or dark roasts ? fruity flavours or chocolate / nutty/ light acidic / thick unctuous. So much to try  :good:


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## RoyB (Apr 22, 2020)

El carajillo said:


> Just bare in mind, coffee is a seasonal product affected by seasonal and climate variations BEFORE it even gets to the roastery.
> 
> These variations / changes need to be accommodated an balanced out in the roasting to maintain consistency taste / flavour.
> 
> Do you prefer light or dark roasts ? fruity flavours or chocolate / nutty/ light acidic / thick unctuous. So much to try  :good:


 Wow. So much info. Thanks. 
I'm weird. I cannot smell. I can smell it's coffee but only because I can identify "coffee". I cannot smell perfume or much else. Lemons sometimes.

it's all about taste. Again I find it difficult to identify individual flavours. With wine, were I have more experience I can feel quality in the mouth and taste generally.

From the limited specialty coffee I have had I like the less bitter fruity chocolate vibe. I have enjoyed this one immensely.


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

For a wine comparison, I prefer a thick smooth mouth feel with reds from Ribera Del Duero . Somontana and Rioja.

Take a look at James Gourmet Coffee each coffee has an extensive description which may be helpful . I enjoy the Simply Brazil and the Formula 6, IO ave tried others but these are my favourites.


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## RoyB (Apr 22, 2020)

I have just done a monthly sub with James Coffee. Can't wait to see what they send.


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## BlackCatCoffee (Apr 11, 2017)

This is an interesting topic. As a roaster I have seen wholesale offer list with green coffee from £1.20 a kilo up to £50 per kilo.

It is tough for someone unless they have lots of specialist knowledge (and the information on the packaging) walking up to a shelf in a deli to know exactly what is in the bag.

I know of a coffee roaster that is relatively local to me that I would consider a competitor in the local market. Their branding is brilliant, packaging great, marketing and sales top rate but the green coffee they use is cheap, cheap, cheap commodity grade stuff. They start at more expensive than I do. It sells though!

I would say when choosing coffee the bare minimum you should look for is a roasted on date. If it doesn't have that then don't even bother. Moving a step on you should look for information on origin, processing methods, growing altitude, perhaps brewing recipes, and the estate producer name. We also include SCA Cup Score, this is a good indicator of the quality of the green coffee used. The more info the better really.


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## 24774 (Mar 8, 2020)

Think it's varied/expensive now, watch the years to come. This is the golden age of coffee. Projections over the next 10-30 years, 50% of the land currently used to grow coffee becomes unproductive. That rises to nearly 90% in South America. That is alongside coffee consumption doubling over that time and doesn't take into account the more frequent blights, fires, droughts etc and us not making things worse with trade disruptions; these things will all have negative effects. The quality and ethics of it falls and the price will rise.

Enjoy it now, we'll tell our kids how it used to be.


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