LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Waking up to a fresh cup of coffee is a delightful. However, Lexington coffee shop owners are feeling the pinch as the price of coffee continues to rise.
Ellie Harman, the owner of High on Art and Coffee, expressed her concern, saying, “They've gone up quite a bit.” The global price of Arabica coffee has more than doubled over the past year, largely due to extreme weather conditions, such as floods and droughts, that are affecting major coffee-producing regions.
In light of this situation, local coffee shops are taking a proactive approach to mitigate the impact of increasing costs on their loyal customers.
Harman has felt immense support from the community throughout her ten years in business. “The community is wonderful. Ten years in, it’s been great,” she shared. Despite the challenges posed by soaring coffee prices, she remains committed to her customers and does not plan to raise prices, even if it means absorbing some losses. “We don't want to [raise prices]. We'll absorb those losses rather than pass them on to our customers. Because if our customers can't come and can't afford to do so, there is no point in us being here at all,” Harman emphasized.
Across town at North Lime Coffee and Donuts, manager Maria Miller reported that they haven't yet felt the effects of the price increase. However, she is aware of the forthcoming challenges. "We just try to support local businesses whenever we can, and we know prices will increase. We will feel the effects in the future. We are doing our best to ensure it doesn't trickle down to our customers," Miller stated.
Lexington coffee shops understand the importance of regular customers, recognizing that raising prices can drive patrons away. Most are committed to doing everything possible to keep their customers happy and caffeinated while hoping for a decrease in prices in the coming months.
