A specialty coffee roasting company based in New York City, Coffee Bros., has initiated a campaign urging the federal government to exclude coffee from the recently announced tariffs by President Donald Trump. The founding siblings of Coffee Bros. have started a Change.org petition arguing that these tariffs could disrupt the American coffee sector, increase consumer costs, and damage longstanding international supply ties. Dan Hunnewell, co-founder of Coffee Bros., emphasized that coffee cannot be domestically sourced like steel or cars and requires trade policies aligned with its supply chain realities.

President Trump described the tariffs as reciprocal, focusing on trade deficits. However, considering green coffee, the U.S. naturally experiences a near 100% trade deficit due to minimal production in Puerto Rico and Hawaii compared to global output. The U.S. heavily depends on imports from major green coffee suppliers such as Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Honduras, all of which face new tariffs ranging from 10% to 46%. This situation puts coffee producers in origin countries at risk, potentially forcing them to redirect their beans elsewhere, undermining years of economic progress and partnership.

The National Coffee Association (NCA) and the Specialty Coffee Association had previously called for coffee exemptions from these tariffs. While neither association explicitly opposed the tariffs, they suggested that government policies should consider coffee prices. This issue highlights the complexities within the coffee industry and the potential ripple effects of tariff implementation.

As the debate unfolds, stakeholders in the coffee industry are closely monitoring developments and advocating for policies that protect both domestic consumers and international suppliers. The challenge lies in balancing economic interests with the unique demands of the coffee supply chain, ensuring sustainable growth and fair trade practices.