Is Expensive Coffee Worth It? A Guide for Curious Drinkers

As specialty coffee becomes more mainstream, consumers are increasingly confronted with higher price tags. Bags of coffee selling for €25 or even €35 are no longer unusual, especially when labelled with tasting notes like “bergamot, jasmine, and tropical fruit” or marked with cupping scores above 88. This raises a natural question: is it worth the price?

In this article, we explain what drives the cost of high-end coffee, what you’re actually paying for, and how to determine whether it’s worth the investment for you or your customers.

1. The Real Cost Begins at Origin

High-end specialty coffees start at the farm level, and this is where much of the cost originates.

• Cultivation: Rare varietals such as Geisha or SL28 require more care, yield less per hectare, and are more susceptible to disease. These factors drive up production costs.

• Harvesting: Specialty coffee is often selectively hand-picked over multiple passes, ensuring only ripe cherries are processed. Labour costs are significantly higher than mechanical harvesting.

• Altitude and Climate: Coffees grown at higher altitudes tend to develop more complex sugars, leading to better cup profiles, but with increased risks and lower yields. Transportation from this places is also more complex and expensive.

A producer who carefully tends a small lot at 1,800 meters, uses double fermentation processing, and hand-picks the cherries over several weeks will naturally incur higher costs than a commercial farm producing bulk-grade beans.

2. Processing, Logistics, and Import Costs

Once harvested, specialty coffee typically undergoes more labour-intensive and quality-focused processing:

• Fermentation and drying: Washed, honey, and natural processes are done with close attention to detail, often on raised beds or under controlled conditions. This can take weeks.

• Export logistics: Quality control at origin, certifications, and export handling add costs, especially for traceable, small-lot coffees.

• Import and warehousing in Europe: Duties, shipping, moisture control, and storage in specialty warehouses all contribute to the final cost before roasting even begins.

3. Roasting and Packaging

Roasting specialty coffee requires skill, investment in equipment, and an understanding of the bean’s potential. Poor roasting can waste an exceptional lot.

• Profile roasting: Each origin is roasted with a unique curve to highlight its best attributes, often using small batches and rigorous cupping.

• Packaging: Specialty bags often include one-way valves, oxygen barriers, and resealable closures to protect freshness.

Roasters also invest in sustainability, traceability, and direct relationships with farmers, all of which require time and resources.

4. Retail Pricing and the Final Product

By the time the product reaches consumers, a €25 bag of coffee reflects much more than just raw material costs:

Contrary to what some may assume, the profit margin on these products is often lower than on commercial-grade coffees, especially when shipping, VAT, and operational costs are factored in.

5. Can You Taste the Difference?

For those brewing their coffee with attention, using freshly ground beans, filtered water, and methods like pour-over, espresso, or AeroPress, the difference between a commodity-grade and a specialty-grade coffee can be significant.

Coffees scoring 88+ often exhibit:

• Greater clarity of flavour

• Complex and layered profiles

• Balanced acidity and sweetness

• Clean, long finishes

These attributes can be lost if the coffee is brewed poorly or drowned in milk and sugar. In such cases, the added value may not be noticeable.

6. When is Expensive Coffee Worth It?

It is worth it when:

• You value flavour precision and origin-specific characteristics.

• You appreciate transparency in sourcing and traceability.

• You want to support producers committed to quality and sustainability.

It may not be worth it when:

• You consistently brew with inconsistent methods or low-quality water.

• You use pre-ground coffee or store beans improperly.

• You drink only milky or sugary preparations and don’t notice nuanced flavour differences.

7. A Better Way to Explore High-End Coffee

If you're curious but cautious, consider starting with:

• Sample boxes from trusted roasters

• Smaller 100g formats

• Coffees with published cupping scores and detailed origin info

It’s also worth exploring coffee as you would wine: discovering regional differences, preferred processing methods, or favourite producers. These preferences can evolve over time, especially with guided tastings or education.

Conclusion

Expensive coffee is not about exclusivity: it reflects genuine differences in quality, ethics, and production. While not every high-priced bag justifies its cost, many of the best coffees in the world do. For those who value flavour, transparency, and impact at origin, they are well worth exploring.