'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAb/xAAVAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADBP/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAmIwmb//EAB0QAQABBAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEDAAIEBQYRIpL/2gAIAQEAAT8A2/K3VQR42LC2SyAF509eaee7tVct+Cv/xAAWEQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAL/2gAIAQIBAT8AyF//xAAWEQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQL/2gAIAQMBAT8Apn//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The U.S., the world's largest coffee importer, is seeing a rise in coffee theft as prices hit record highs. Thieves are stealing it by the truckload, particularly targeting unroasted green coffee beans.
Reuters reported on March 10 that organized gangs are stealing massive shipments of the caffeine commodity. A market participant, Todd Costley, cautioning the importers to be careful about who they hire for the shipment told the news organization:
“Once they get the coffee, they disappear.”
High rates of coffee beans are inviting theft in the United States
After the beverage cost in the United States reached a record high in February and continues to climb, beans are getting stolen by the truckload. During the annual conference of the U.S. National Coffee Association in Huston, Todd Costley, a logistic sales coordinator for Hartley Transportation shared to Reuters:
“There were dozens of thefts in the last year, something that would happen only rarely in the past.”
Although the theft is newer in America, they are being carried out by organized gangs who disguise themselves as transportation companies to obtain the commodity, whose cost reached an all-time high just last month.
Speaking of how these fake companies carry out their stealing mission, Todd Costley noted that they target small contracts from importers by making themselves look appealing with low prices or even immediate availability of trucks.
While some market participants believe these gangs sell the stolen beans to smaller roasters who are suffering from sky-high prices, others argue that some importers have started using tracking devices to protect their shipments.
The news organization revealed these trucks carry about 44,000 pounds or 19,958 kg of green beans, whose current market value is worth around $180,000. Meanwhile, besides the United States, these thefts are also creating problems in countries including Brazil and Vietnam.
Brazil and Vietnam, the two largest Java-producing nations in the world, have also experienced similar theft incidents. These thefts typically occur at isolated farms where the commodities are temporarily kept after harvest.
Notably, these sites are more vulnerable to theft as they are isolated. The news outlet also reported that in January, 500 bags of the commodity amounting to $230,000 were stolen from a farm in Minas Gerais state in Brazil.
How much caffeine does an American adult consume in a day?
The National Coffee Association revealed in April 2024 that the average American adult's daily java consumption has risen by nearly 40%. According to the data, the number of American adults who consumed the caffeine beverage in the past day jumped by 37% between 2004 and 2024.
The data obtained by an exclusive consumer polling published by the National Coffee Association (NCA), also states that 67% of American adults have had the beverage in the past day which is more than any other beverage, including tap or bottled water, compared to 49% in 2004.
