The global caffeine crash: Why your coffee could disappear

  Brazil’s been experiencing its worst drought in decades, and that’s bad news for office coffee lovers of the world who want unlimited access to tasty java. This unprecedented dry spell has the potential to deprive the world of beans and means we could be looking at a much steeper price per liquid pick-me-up unless the price of these coffee beans stabilises. Most of the world’s java comes from Brazil’s coffee belt, where scrumptious Arabica beans are farmed – but this January, the region reported the hottest and driest month in its history. The reality of the world’s largest coffee crop facing this kind of devastation poses a global threat to perkiness.

Coffee price rises

So far this year, the price of coffee has already skyrocketed by 50%, which is no small number. For now the prices are stable, but if the price of Arabica beans continues to rise we could be looking at a pretty expensive caffeine hit further down the line. More than 140 Brazilian cities are being forced to ration water in the face of this drought, with reports that certain districts are only receiving water every third day. One other legitimate reason for the rise in price is that developing markets like India, China and Brazil are getting thirsty for the stuff. While, in the past, the developing world merely provided coffee to developed countries, it’s now looking like these developing nations are getting a taste for the java themselves.

Oh when will there be a harvest?

And anyone with a sweet tooth is in for another shock to the system, as this drought is causing further problems with harvesting sugar cane that is putting sugar prices at their highest in months. There may be light at the end of this incredibly dry tunnel though: rain is now starting to make a welcome comeback in Brazil, which should save some of these coffee crops and settle the rising prices so far this year. And in any case, many major coffee chains are promising customers that they can count on prices staying very much where they are in spite of the increasing price of beans. This current supply-demand imbalance means uncertain times for some in the coffee industry, with a lovely cup set to cost more than it has for a long time. With Eden office coffee machines from big brands you're largely protected from these price fluctuations, but one thing’s for sure: the caffeine addicts among us will pay just about anything for a good cup of coffee.