Coffee, Assoutenti: with raw material increases espresso at the bar towards 2 euro per cup in the coming months

Raw material rises risk pushing coffee at the bar towards EUR 2 per cup in the coming months. This was stated by Assoutenti, commenting on the alarm launched these days by producers. Quotations of the sturdy coffee, notes the consumer association, are currently close to USD 4,600 per tonne (last survey on 21 August), up 79% compared to the same period in 2023,

Robusta coffee is priced 68% higher, from 147 cents per pound on 21 August 2023 to 247 cents today. A steadily increasing trend that risks having direct effects on consumers' pockets: espresso coffee has already undergone continuous price increases in recent years, to the point that today, according to the latest monitoring carried out by Assoutenti, the average price of a cup consumed at the bar has increased by 15% compared to 2021. In some cities, the price lists are already as high as EUR 1.50 per espresso, and the new price rises are likely to lead to a wave of cup increases as early as the next few weeks, given that producers and public establishments will not be able to absorb the higher costs borne by them.

'In Italy, around 6 billion coffees are served in public places every year, generating a turnover of around 7 billion euro just for the classic cup of espresso,' explains president Gabriele Melluso. 'Any increase in price lists would affect consumers' pockets and aggravate the expense of what is to all intents and purposes a daily ritual for millions of citizens. Not to mention that in some cities such as Naples we could lose the good custom of 'suspended coffee', which as we know has always had an enormous social and solidarity value,' Melluso concludes.