Over the last few weeks, you may have noticed updated pricing on our Coffee. We wanted to share a clear, human explanation of what changed, why we made the decision now, and how we worked to keep it fair.

Specialty coffee doesn’t follow “industry averages” — but our costs still move with the world

As a specialty coffee roaster, we’ve always operated above broad industry trends because we’re buying higher-grade coffees that cost more to produce and source.

That said, when the global benchmark price for coffee rises, the price of specialty-grade coffee rises too. Not because specialty coffee is the same as commodity coffee, but because the baseline cost underneath the supply chain moves upward.

What happened over the last year (in simple terms)

Over the past year, green coffee costs rose sharply. For example, major market reporting in late 2024 showed coffee prices increasing roughly 60–70 percent year over year.

On top of the coffee itself, the cost of moving goods internationally has also been volatile. During the Red Sea disruption window, the cost to ship a container (a common reference index used across global trade) more than doubled from mid-December 2023 to mid-May 2024.

Why we didn’t raise prices right away

Around this time last year, the market spiked and instead of reacting immediately, we chose to ride it out rather than raise prices overnight.

That decision turned out to be the right move in one sense: prices cooled from the peak. But the bigger reality is they settled higher than before. Once we had a clearer view of our actual green inventory costs and where things stabilized, we needed to adjust responsibly.

This is also why this update isn’t just about one bag size. We reviewed pricing across all formats.

Updated retail pricing

12 oz: $19
2 lb: $45
5 lb: $108

Wholesale pricing

Wholesale prices are based on monthly volume with two categories:
$500 or more per month
$500 or less per month

For wholesale pricing, please reach out to us via email to open an account.

A final note (and thank you)

This is the first price increase Fresh Ground has made in 3 years, so we took our time and approached it with real attention to detail. And after years of holding pricing steady, we understand this may feel like a drastic change.

Thank you for being a customer, and thank you for your feedback.
Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from all of us at FreshGround.