Why is kopi luwak coffee so expensive?
Kopi luwak production involves a great deal of labour, whether farmed or wild-gathered. The small production quantity and the labor involved in production contribute to the coffee’s high cost. Kopi Luwak is the world’s most exclusive (and most expensive) coffee. The main factor of its high price is the uncommon method of production. It is produced from coffee beans which have been partially digested by the Indonesian palm civet and then excreted.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.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.This is why many speculators have been wondering when Starbucks will offer its own spin on kopi luwak, bringing one of the most exclusive coffees on the planet to the masses. So far, though, they have chosen not to.
Which animal is luwak?
Luwak, or Asian Palm Civet is a viverrid native to South and Southeast Asia including Indonesia. Asian palm civets are increasingly caught in the wild and traded for this purpose. Kopi luwak is produced mainly on the Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali, Sulawesi, and in East Timor.Part of what makes kopi luwak so special, experts say, is that wild civets pick and choose the choicest coffee cherries to eat. Keeping civets in cages and feeding them any old cherries leads to an inferior product.
How much is 1 cup of Kopi Luwak?
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. Kopi Luwak is the world’s most exclusive (and most expensive) coffee. The main factor of its high price is the uncommon method of production. It is produced from coffee beans which have been partially digested by the Indonesian palm civet and then excreted.