TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Some say a cup of freshly roasted coffee from the corner store is priceless. That love is really getting put to the test.
Federal data shows coffee prices are about 20% higher than this time last year, while the average price for a pound of coffee has nearly doubled in the last five years.
A spokesperson with the National Coffee Association told WCTV the price surge is due to “a number of factors, including global supply and demand conditions and more recently, tariffs.”
All of it is leading to some tough choices for Tallahassee’s bustling coffee shop scene.
Paper Fox Coffee has welcomed caffeine connoisseurs to its Capital Circle NE location for four years. Manager Zoe Tribley works hard behind the scenes to craft the perfect cup.
“To smell coffee that other people took the time and care to make smell so nice and high quality, that other people took the time to grow, it’s amazing to be a part of that,” she said.
Recently, Tribley has been riding the wave of global economics. She said prices have risen across the board. To compensate, Paper Fox has adjusted drink prices anywhere from 10 cents to 50 cents.
Paper Fox and Lucky Goat relying on loyal customers as global economics and tariffs mean pricier coffee(WCTV)
“If your larger franchises are cutting down their staff, closing stores, the small local coffee shops are also kind of like struggling to stay afloat as well,” she said.
A larger operation, with capital city roots, is also navigating an uncertain world.
Lucky Goat Coffee is a Tallahassee institution, with six shops in Leon County and other locations sprinkled across the South.
Paper Fox and Lucky Goat relying on loyal customers as global economics and tariffs mean pricier coffee(WCTV)
VP of Sales Brent Elliot said Lucky Goat has been able to whether the storm so far.
“We have been very fortunate from a Wholesale standpoint in both our local marketplace, as well as new and emerging markets that are growing,” he wrote in a statement to WCTV. “This is due to our passion for our customers, the communities we serve, and our unwavering commitment to the quality of our products.”
Still, Elliot noted Lucky Goat did increase menu prices slightly this summer “due to green coffee prices continuing to be at unprecedented highs as well as current market conditions.”
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“We work diligently to help keep these costs minimized but without ever sacrificing the quality of our coffee products. Our commitment is truly to our customers and the communities we serve,” he added.
For baristas, the love for making the perfect cup hasn’t changed.
Madelyn Bankston is a barista at Paper Fox.
“I think everyone’s pretty understanding of all the price changes,” she said. Sometimes, she wonders if she needs to charge for a certain milk or syrup. But overall, customers are gracious.
The same is true for Caleb Seppala, a Lucky Goat barista.
“We do get the occasional question of, like, oh, looks like it’s a little more today or looks like it’s gone up,” he said. “Even though we do have some of those occasional price changes, we still have our strong, loyal customers.”
And those regulars seem to be sticking around. Both shops were bustling when WCTV stopped by.
“Our customers have been amazing,” Tribley said. “They really come out. They really support us. They purchase with intention.”
For Lucky Goat fan Riley Glover, who was studying with friends when WCTV was there, the bumped up prices are still worth it.
“You’re paying for genuine coffee that is good, but you’re also paying for an environment as well,” he said.
Paper Fox loyalist Collin Southard also emphasized the comfort in having a local shop to call home, and hopes no matter what the coffee market does in the future, the mom and pop shops stay afloat.
“I feel very comfortable here and I will return again and again and again,” he said.
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