U.S. coffee drinkers and businesses will pay the price for Trump's Brazil tariffs

[applegrove]

U.S. coffee drinkers and businesses will pay the price for Trump's Brazil tariffs

July 21, 20255:00 AM ET

Jaclyn Diaz

https://www.npr.org/2025/07/21/nx-s1-5470131/us-coffee-prices-brazil-trump-tariffs

At a small, industrial roastery in Washington, D.C., the nutty, inviting smell of roasting coffee hangs heavy in the air. It's where Lost Sock Roasters, a local company, roasts and packages its coffee beans — destined for its two cafes, customers' homes and local bakeries and restaurants.

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After nearly a decade of running the company with co-founder Nico Cabrera, Lost Sock's Jeff Yerxa says the strong coffee aroma barely registers. "I can't even smell it anymore," he says with a laugh.

But something else is grabbing his attention these days: tariffs.

This month, President Trump announced plans to levy a 50% tariff on all goods from Brazil — the world's largest coffee producer and the source of about 30% of U.S. coffee imports. That's on top of the 10% tariff that impacts nearly everything the U.S. brings in. This looming tariff threat has sent shock waves through the U.S. coffee industry, raising fears especially among small roasters like Lost Sock.

[Tarzanrock]

1. Look out, Starbucks!

Look out, Starbucks! A whole lot of those coffee joints like Starbucks are going to be going out of business. When I was last in Von's supermarket in Los Angeles, I stopped at their in-store Starbucks coffee kiosk because I have the monthly Von's membership perk which lets you get a Starbucks Grande coffee at their stand for $2 bucks; and, I usually get one once a month to drink while I am grocery shopping. There were two young 20 something Latino girls ahead of me in line. They both ordered some kind of exotic Starbucks coffee/latte concoctions which looked like some kind of milkshakes which was mixed up with all the latte/cream, flavorings and sugars which went into those concoctions. Those coffee drinks ran over $8 dollars each and with the California 9.25% sales tax the bill was just shy of $20 bucks -- so those coffee drinks cost almost ten ($10.00) dollars each and more if you left a "tip" for whatever they call the person (barista) who mixed that shit up -- a 20% "tip" is an additional $4 bucks -- so a cup of Starbucks coffee is already pretty damn expensive before the imposition of the Turd's insane tariffs on Brazil and other coffee producing countries. Welcome to Turd World, America! Enjoy Turd World -- because you are going to be paying through your nose for this Fascist experience!

[BoRaGard]

2. The G.O.P. War on Coffee

will add to the slow drip of their demise...

[Ritabert]

3. I've already stocked up on my one decaf a day supplies