The True Cost of Specialty Coffee:
Ever wonder why specialty coffee comes with a higher price tag? It’s not just about the exceptional taste—it’s about ensuring fairness, quality, and sustainability every step of the way. Here’s why your cup of specialty coffee is worth every penny.
Quality Takes Time and Care
Specialty coffee is graded on an 80+ point scale, guaranteeing that it offers fewer defects, richer flavors, and unique characteristics. Each bean requires meticulous attention—from being handpicked at peak ripeness to undergoing precise processing methods like washed, natural, or anaerobic techniques. These labor-intensive processes result in a coffee experience that’s a cut above commodity-grade options.
Fair Pay for Farmers
Unlike commodity coffee priced at the c-market rate, specialty coffee commands a premium price that ensures fair wages and sustainable practices for farmers. Many roasteries, like ours, work directly with importers or build long-term partnerships with farmers. Why? Because fair compensation is key to sustainable farming. Without it, the very people who grow coffee would struggle to make ends meet.
To put this into perspective, here’s how a bag of our First Tracks Blend priced at $20 breaks down:
- $6–$7 per lb goes directly to the farmer (this price is set by them)
- $2–$4 covers import fees and shipping
- $2–$4 accounts for roasting, labor, and packaging
- $5–$7 goes toward business expenses and sustaining our operations
The Challenges of Farming
Growing specialty coffee isn’t easy. Many coffees are more susceptible to disease or require special care, like additional fertilization and space to grow. Farmers face challenges like unpredictable weather patterns, longer production times, and the precision required for drying and processing. This not only makes the process more labor-intensive but also increases production costs.
Freshness Matters
At ARC, we roast your coffee to order, ensuring that it’s as fresh as possible when it arrives at your doorstep. Unlike commodity coffee stored for months, our approach ensures peak flavor in every cup.
Breaking Down Pricing Terms
When evaluating specialty coffee pricing, you may encounter these terms:
- Farmgate Price: What the farmer is paid at origin.
- FOB Price (Free on Board): The cost of coffee as it leaves the country of origin.
- Landed Cost: The total cost, including shipping, duties, and storage.
- Roaster’s Margin: The markup needed to cover roasting, packaging, labor, and operational overhead.
In Conclusion
By choosing specialty coffee, you’re not only getting a premium product but also supporting farmers, sustainable practices, and businesses that prioritize quality and fairness.
Alternate Route Coffee has been crafted with a level of passion, commitment, and attention to detail that few can imagine. Why? Because at Alternate Route Coffee, we know it matters. From our humble beginnings as Alberta’s first ‘roastery on wheels’, we learned that only through passion and relentless commitment can you truly create something special. This commitment to a truly special product is our promise to you.
Located just beside the Edmonton International Airport in Alberta, Canada, Alternate Route Coffee Co. is a small batch, specialty coffee roaster blending traditional techniques with modern innovation to bring you a unique coffee experience. The roastery includes a small coffee bar, retail section, as well as a beautiful custom tasting room where we host intimate coffee tasting and brewing events. Be sure to check out Alternate Route Coffee Co. store hours and we look forward to seeing you soon.
