Coffee roasters look for new sources as tariffs begin

Puget Sound coffee roasters concerned about Trump tariffs

Some Seattle coffee roasters are concerned that they'll soon have to pay thousands more to import beans with Trump's tariffs, as most are grown outside the of the U.S.

SEATTLE - Coffee roasters across Puget Sound are bracing to pay more for their bulk imports following President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariff announcement.

Known for being the birthplace of Starbucks and a hub for third-wave coffee shops, Seattle is regarded as one of the best cities for coffee in the United States. However, most of the coffee beans roasted locally are imported.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 80% of the beans imported into the U.S. come from Latin America, with Brazil and Colombia being major sources. Both countries are facing a 10% tariff increase.

FILE - Roasted coffee beans are seen in Viani, Colombia on August 19, 2020.

(Juancho Torres/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Local perspective:

One local coffee shop owner in Tacoma is already looking for alternative sources. The owner told FOX 13 Seattle he is traveling to Puerto Rico and even considering other U.S. territories as a source of more affordable beans.

He warns that if tariffs continue, the business will have no choice but to offset the increased cost of beans by passing it on to consumers. Corner cafés may not feel the same sticker shock as customers buying their bags at the grocery store.

Gabrielle Clune, a Seattle coffee drinker, expressed concern over rising prices.

"It's very expensive already. I mean, like seven dollars for a cup," she said. "If the prices go up even more, I might just start getting my coffee from the office instead of the shop downstairs."