EXPLAINER: Why coffee could cost more at groceries, cafes

By MATT OTT
AP Business Writer

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — After hovering for years at lows sometimes near $1 per pound, coffee futures — the price large buyers agree to pay upon delivery months down the road — are now around $1.90 per pound. Factors including wild weather in Brazil, supply bottlenecks and worker shortages have all contributed. Although most experts expect the rising costs to hit consumers by year end, a spike in coffee prices on the international futures market doesn’t always trickle down. One mitigating factor is the supply of beans large roasters already have on hand. Starbucks, for instance, says it has enough supply to get through this year and most of the next.