Green Coffee Market Prices
The ICO Composite Indicator Price (I-CIP) averaged 176.41 US cents/lb in January, a 0.4% increase from December 2023.

The I-CIP posted a median value of 173.90 US cents/lb, having fluctuated between 171.08 and 185.54 US cents/lb.

The January 2024 I-CIP is above the January 2023 I-CIP by 12.4%, with the 12-month rolling average at 166.85 US cents/lb.

The I-CIP grew steadily in January 2024, reaching a ten-month high.

Importantly, the Robustas have reached their highest level since November 1994 when they averaged 153.33 US cents/lb.
Read more: https://www.icocoffee.org/documents/cy2023-24/cmr-0124-e.pdf?mc_cid=3acfbd4b69

Green Coffee Price
Robustas reach 25-year high, averaging 135.47 US cents/lb in December 2023. The ICO Composite Indicator Price (I-CIP) averaged 175.73 US cents/lb in December, an 8.8% increase from November 2023. The I-CIP posted a median value of 177.64 US cents/lb, having fluctuated between 163.92 and 186.04 US cents/lb. The December 2023 I-CIP is above the December 2022 I-CIP by 11.8%, with the 12-month rolling average at 165.23 US cents/lb. The I-CIP grew steadily in December 2023, reaching a nine-month high. The rise in tensions in the Red Sea has prompted some shipping lines to re-route their coffee-carrying vessels. Thus, for South-East Asian and East African coffee en route to Europe, unintended consequences include a rise in freight costs as some shipping companies have introduced surcharges to account for the now-extended transit times.
Read more: https://www.icocoffee.org/documents/cy2023-24/cmr-1223-e.pdf?mc_cid=94006c239a

A recent paper published in Matter magazine on December 6, 2023 has caught our and the coffee world’s attention. It describes that adding some water, just a few spritzes for personal use, to your beans before grinding can lead to less coffee grinds being wasted and a more consistent and even flow when pulling espresso shots. The paper is linked here and is not behind a paywall at the time of this blog post.

The paper details how static builds up inside your grinder. One type of static is due to the coffee’s contact with the burrs, and the other type of static is due to the coffee’s contact to the grinder and other beans. The authors argue that the static would lead to some coffee grinds flying away, as well as creating “boulders”. The paper proposes adding some water, which would reduce the amount of charge built up inside the grinder, allowing the coffee grinds to not become charged.

James Hoffmann, a coffee expert and a World Barista Champion, goes through the main highlights in his video. He discusses some of his concerns and questions relating to the paper.

Have you noticed any differences in terms of taste when adding water to your coffee before grinding? We’d love to hear your experiences.  Please let us know what you thought on our Contact Us Form.

Arabica and Robusta arbitrage remains low as I-CIP volatility remains stable

• The ICO Composite Indicator Price (I-CIP) averaged 151.94 US cents/lb in October, a 0.8% decline from September 2023. The I-CIP posted a median value of 151.58 US cents/lb., having fluctuated between 145.99 and 160.09 US cents/lb.
Read more: https://www.icocoffee.org/documents/cy2023-24/cmr-1023-e.pdf?mc_cid=7dcc849115