Australians coffee lovers should brace for a rise in the cost of their daily cuppa after a jump in the cost of imported beans.
Cafes in all capital cities are expected to raise their prices after a big rise in pandemic-driven supply chain troubles, natural disasters and shipping container shortages.
Coffee lovers should expect to pay up to $1 more for a cup than in the past, Sean Edwards, of the Cafe Owners and Baristas Association of Australia, told 9News.
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Mr Edwards said inner-city areas would experience the biggest price rises after the closure of many urban cafes during the pandemic, with the current $4 cup of coffee set to be history.
"We've lost probably 20 to 25 per cent of the cafes and they probably won't be returning for a while," Mr Edwards said.
A major drought and frost in Brazil this year — the world's largest producer — resulted in a reduction of the country's coffee crop.
Papua New Guinea, a major supplier of beans to Australia, has also been hit hard by soaring COVID-19 cases and health restrictions which have disrupted its growers.
Added to these woes for Australian wholesalers is the disruption to global supply chains, resulting in steep rises in freight and shipping costs.
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Cafes have also been tackling the cost of staff shortages due to the pandemic.
Wholesalers and cafe owners have been meeting the extra costs so far, but that is expected to change.
Mr Edwards says the price rise for a cup of coffee is "overdue" for the industry after 10 years of stable pricing.
