Coffee Bean Pricing: All prices discussed

In the old days in South Africa (in the 1990’s) to drink a good cup of coffee meant drinking a high end instant coffee – how the times have changed. South Africans these days count themselves amongst some of the most discerning coffee drinkers in the world thanks to the emergence of capsule coffee machines and automatic bean to cup machines in the early 2000’s. In this post we will discuss the cost of different types of coffee beans and what affects the price which you pay for your cup of java.

The four things that affect the cost of coffee beans:

There are primarily four factors which determine the price of a coffee bean.

Coffee Bean Supply:

Coffee is a commodity and like any commodity, coffee pricing has a lot to do with supply and demand. Factors like too much rainfall, large global markets increasing their coffee consumption (like China and India) and droughts all affect the coffee price. Because most of these extraneous factors are unplanned and unpredictable , coffee bean prices have known to fluctuate year on year quite dramatically

Coffee Brand:

Brand is still one of the biggest determining factors when it comes to the coffee price. Italian brands like Illy, Lavazza and Segafredo use some of the same green beans as other far lower priced coffee roasteries but because of the power of their brands, they automatically can command a higher price.

Imported vs locally roasted Coffee Beans:

Locally roasted coffee beans are almost always cheaper than imported beans (and almost always fresher) purely because of the extra cost of shipping involved. Famous brands coffee roastery and Tribecca both have roasteries which can match many of the international ones in quality and sophistication.

Quality of Coffee Beans:

The quality of green beans obviously has a direct impact on the price of the finished product. Factors like Arabica vs Robusta, Bean Size, Coffee Bean Grading and region all affect the pricing of coffee beans.

Prices of some of the most popular bean brands in South Africa:

Prices of coffee beans are determined by the importer, roaster or distributor and therefore change from time to time and are dependent on who is selling the beans, but we compiled the list below to indicate the average pricing at the time of this post to give customers a benchmark off which to work:

Aquaspresso Coffee Beans:

We have four blends of coffee beans consisting of 2 single origins and 2 blends. Our price per kg ranges from R200-R250 / kg .
Read more about our beans – Aquaspresso Coffee Beans

Bean There Coffee Bean Pricing:

Bean There has 6 bean varieties in their range, all which are fair trade, African and roasted locally. For something special try Olga’s reserve. Pricing ranges from R280-R380 per kg
To view the whole Bean There collection view our link here – Bean There Coffees

Illy Coffee Beans Pricing:

Illy is one of the biggest Italian coffee brands worldwide and is represented in over 50 countries. Illy has two options of beans available (regular and decaff) and is typically packed in their trademark Aluminium tins. Illy is available online or in Woolworths stores nationwide and retails for R403/kg .
To buy Illy online view their shop here – Illy store

Lavazza Coffee Bean Pricing:

Lavazza is probably the only coffee brand on this list which rivals Illy in terms of international fame. Lavazza’s tag line is “Italy’s favourite coffee” and although this may or may not be the case it is true that Lavazza is ubiquitous throughout the whole of Italy. Lavazza can be bought in South Africa from a number of retail outlets and retails for around R260/kg depending on the blend selected.

Espresso Concepts Coffee Bean Pricing:

Espresso concepts is one of the oldest and well respected roasteries in the country. Espresso Concepts provide a range of coffees including single origin, blends and flavoured coffees. Prices range from R213-R272/kg depending on the blend selected. You can purchase your espresso concepts coffee online at www.coffee.co.za

Green Bean Coffee Bean Pricing:

Green Bean Coffee Roastery is one of our favourite competitor roasters. Headed by Lee Anderson, Green Bean, like Bean There, specialise in roasting all African coffee. Green bean coffee can be bought either at their retail outlet at Casalinga or online at Green Bean Online. Coffee bean costs range from R240-R280 per kg

Masterton’s Coffee Pricing:

Masterton’s are the biggest roastery in P.E. and have great representation throughout the country. Masterton’s offer one of the lowest cost bean options with prices ranging from R180-R190 kg. Masterton’s offer a delivery option or you can pick up your favourite Masterton’s blend from Algoa Bay’s coffee shop of wonders in Pretoria. Mastertons Online Store.

Conclusion:

At the end of the day the most important fact which should drive your decision as to which coffee to buy, is whichever one tastes the best to you. Just because a coffee is of higher “quality” or it is from a certain ”region” doesn’t mean you should buy it. Experiment with as many options as you can within your budget and then continue to buy what tastes good to you.
To read more about what makes different coffees taste different you can view our article “The comprehensive guide to coffee beans”