SPOKANE, Wash.— While many drivers complain of a pain at the pump, some coffee drinkers are starting to feel a pinch as well.
The rising cost of coffee beans has forced coffee roasters and coffee shops to jack up their prices.
The cost of unroasted beans is at a little more than $3 a pound, more than double the price it was this time last year.
But before the beans can be sold, they have to be roasted, bagged, and shipped, all which cost money.
Spokane’s Roast House said it all comes down to supply and demand. Less coffee is being produced around the world because of bad weather and poor crops, while more people are drinking it.
Roast House workers said the $3 price for beans is just for commercial grade coffee, so for fair trade coffee or organic coffee, roasters must pay an additional $1 to $2 on top of that.
