Thursday, May 29, 2025

Coffee might get a lot more expensive

Mary — Coffee Bros., a small U.S.-based coffee company, built its business on strong relationships with ethical farmers and a commitment to quality. Now, their future is at risk. New U.S. tariffs on imported coffee could raise costs by up to 46%, hurting not just Coffee Bros., but thousands of small roasters and cafés across the country. Since coffee can't be grown at scale in the U.S., these tariffs threaten jobs, raise prices, and cut off farmers who depend on fair trade. If you believe coffee should stay affordable and ethical, consider signing the petition to remove coffee from the tariff list.

Exempt Coffee from Tariffs: Protect American Small Businesses and Preserve Coffee Quality

8,087 have signed Dan Hunnewell's petition. Let's get to 10,000!

Sign now with a click

We're calling on the U.S. government to exempt coffee from newly imposed tariffs. These tariffs threaten thousands of small businesses, millions of jobs, and the quality of coffee we drink daily, potentially disrupting long-standing relationships with trusted, established coffee producers worldwide. Coffee cannot be manufactured at a large scale in the United States, and treating it as a domestic product under trade policy is harmful and shortsighted. 

Join us in demanding a more innovative approach that protects American cafés, coffee roasters, and the global farmers who make coffee possible.

This petition is written and supported by Coffee Bros., a U.S.-based specialty coffee company committed to sustainability, ethical sourcing, and supporting small businesses across the coffee supply chain.

Coffee isn't just a beverage — it's a cornerstone of American life. From bustling cafés to your kitchen counter, coffee supports over 2.2 million U.S. jobs and fuels a multi-billion-dollar industry. But today, that entire ecosystem is under threat.

Two significant challenges are colliding:

  • A sharp increase in global coffee prices, driven by climate-related shortages and speculation on the C-Market.
  • New U.S. tariffs — as high as 46% — on coffee imports from 15 of the world's top coffee-producing countries.

These tariffs were designed to boost domestic manufacturing, but coffee cannot be produced at scale in the U.S. Hawaii and Puerto Rico produce less than 1% of what Americans consume. The rest comes from global trade, which these new policies are choking.

What's at stake?

  • Thousands of small, independent coffee roasters and cafés across the U.S. are already operating on razor-thin margins.
  • Millions of coffee drinkers will face higher prices and lower quality as businesses turn to cheaper beans to survive.
  • International coffee farmers, especially those producing high-quality, sustainable beans, risk losing the U.S. market they've invested in for years.

Many coffee businesses are still recovering from the devastation of COVID-19. As Fresh Cup reports, countless cafés never reopened, and those that did are stretched thin, financially and emotionally. These same businesses are being hit again with skyrocketing costs and may not survive.

This is not just an economic issue—it's a cultural one. Coffee shops are community anchors, third places representing diversity, creativity, and connection.

We are urging the U.S. government to:

✅ Immediately exempt coffee from tariffs under current trade policies
✅ Recognize coffee as an essential, non-manufacturable good
✅ Protect the livelihoods of American small businesses and coffee workers
✅ Support international trade with coffee-producing nations committed to sustainability and quality

Sign this petition if you believe:

☕ Your coffee shouldn't come at the cost of American small businesses
🌎 International trade should support — not punish — ethical coffee farmers

This petition is brought to you by Coffee Bros.

Founded in 2019, Coffee Bros. is a specialty coffee roaster in the United States. We're committed to ethical sourcing, long-term partnerships with producers, and making high-quality coffee accessible. These tariffs threaten our business and the livelihoods of our producers, colleagues, and partners in the global coffee industry.

Sign now with a click

Visit petition page

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