Is kopi luwak worth the price?
Probably not, mostly because of the price. Kopi luwak isn’t cheap, and for good reason. The process is labor-intensive and slow, and the demand is high. But for a special occasion, or when you’re in the mood to try something truly different, it’s worth every penny. Kopi luwak retail prices range widely—from $45 per pound for coffee from farmed civets to $600 per pound for wild-collected beans, according to D’Cruze. When the product’s shipped internationally, prices spike to as much as $100 per cup.The high price of kopi luwak coffee is largely due to the traditional ways it is produced. Production takes a lot of time and energy, with farmers often looking on land and in forests for suitable beans. Ripe coffee berries are ingested by asian palm civets, which are found in southeast asia.The cost of wild kopi luwak fluctuates between $20 and $100 per cup, and even for farmed kopi luwak, the price sits between $10 and $50. For those who want to buy kopi luwak by the bag, wild kopi luwak can cost significantly more, since it tastes better and is an ethical alternative to farmed kopi luwak.
Who eats Kopi Luwak?
Most customers are Asian, especially those originating from Japan, China, and South Korea. Some specialty coffee shops sell cups of brewed kopi luwak for US$35–80. Black Ivory Coffee is a brand of coffee produced by the Black Ivory Coffee Company Ltd in northern Thailand from Arabica coffee beans consumed by elephants and collected from their waste. The taste of Black Ivory coffee is influenced by elephants’ digestive enzymes, which break down the coffee’s protein.Why it’s Expensive: Black Ivory coffee undergoes a process similar to kopi luwak, but the beans pass through the digestive system of Thai elephants. The fermentation process inside the elephant’s stomach breaks down proteins linked to bitterness, creating a smoother taste.Black Ivory Coffee is naturally refined by elephants and is the most exclusive coffee in the world. With a 2025 approximate allocation of 225 kg (495 LBS), only a select few are able to experience our coffee each year.Priced at around $3,000 per kilogram, Black Ivory surpasses even Kopi Luwak, another well-known exotic coffee, both in rarity and price.
What is so special about kopi luwak?
It’s the world’s most expensive coffee, and it’s made from poop. Or rather, it’s made from coffee beans that are partially digested and then pooped out by the civet, a catlike creature. A cup of kopi luwak, as it’s known, can sell for as much as $80 in the United States. Kopi Luwak, also known as Civet Coffee, is one of the world’s most expensive and exclusive coffees. It’s made from beans that have been partially digested and excreted by the Asian Palm Civet, a small mammal native to the forests of Southeast Asia.Because the beans used in the production of Kopi Luwak coffee are gathered from an animal’s excrement, some coffee enthusiasts have asked whether or not it is safe to drink. But after the beans are gathered, they are washed and given a thorough cleaning.
Does Starbucks serve Kopi Luwak?
Contrast that with Starbucks, who buys more than 100 million pounds of coffee beans per year, and the problem is obvious: there’s simply not enough kopi luwak to satiate Starbucks’ enormous hunger. You’ll have to get your kopi luwak somewhere else instead. Grind 2 tablespoons of whole bean Kopi Luwak coarsely for each 6-ounce cup and set aside. Preheat the press pot by scalding it with 4 ounces of hot water. Swirl the water and then discard it. Add the ground coffee to the empty pot.