logo
Italians panic as price of espresso spikes

Italians panic as price of espresso spikes

Straits Times14-07-2025
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
A server pours a caffe shakerato, an espresso-based drink, at Cicinin in Turin, Italy, on June 25. The high price of beans has put coffee bars in a bind in Italy, where the drink is a ritual and customers demand cheap espresso.
TURIN, Italy – Mr Andrea Consilvio did something in early 2025 that he called 'a little crazy'. He bought an old and well-known coffee bar in the north-western Italian city of Turin, his home town.
Brewing coffee for Italians, the people who invented espresso and the commercial machines and stovetop pots to make it, might hardly seem like a leap of faith.
Nearly three-quarters of Italians drink coffee – by which they almost always mean espresso – at least once a day. Most Italians consider their daily coffee ritual to be sacrosanct.
Yet they also expect their coffee to be cheap, available for little more than pocket change at any bar counter. And that, amid a global jump in coffee bean prices caused in part by trade disruptions and climate change, has set off simmering anxiety among Italians.
They worry that higher costs could push up retail prices and unsettle a part of the food and beverage economy that feels distinctively Italian.
Among the most worried: owners of the country's ubiquitous coffee bars.
'The world of coffee is changing,' Mr Consilvio said. 'If prices continue to increase, it could become a serious danger' to both livelihoods and tradition.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Business Singapore's economy continues to expand in Q2 despite US tariff uncertainty: Advance estimate
Singapore Singapore to train more aviation and maritime officials from around the world
Singapore What's in a name? Local author traces the evolution of Singaporean Chinese names
Business From wellness zone to neurodivergent room: How companies are creating inviting, inclusive offices
Singapore Swift action needed to stop vaping's slide from health risk to drug epidemic
Singapore Govt will continue to support families, including growing group of seniors: PM Wong at PCF Family Day
Singapore Art by Pathlight students to be displayed along Singapore River
Sport Jannik Sinner dethrones Carlos Alcaraz to capture maiden Wimbledon crown
Mr Andrea Consilvio (left) with his business partner Gian Luca Gatto outside their coffee bar in Turin, Italy.
PHOTO: FABIO BUCCIARELLI/NYTIMES
Mr Luigi Morello, president of the Italian Espresso National Institute, which safeguards the quality of Italian espresso (it should be hazel brown to dark brown, with foam, among other things), said higher coffee prices had 'rightfully alarmed' consumers.
'The whole supply chain is in a crisis,' he said.
Italy once designated espresso a necessity by law. Just before World War I, the Italian government allowed municipalities to set price controls for basic needs. That included bread, but also coffee served at the bar counter.
Such price controls 'protected neighbourhood bars for a long time', said Dr Jonathan Morris, a coffee historian at the University of Hertfordshire in England. 'That's why no one really ever set up coffee chains in Italy.' (Starbucks actually did, but did not open its first Italian outpost until 2018, 47 years after the company's founding.)
Even after the controls were lifted, prices remained low, with few bar owners willing to test whether higher prices would push customers towards the nearest competitor, usually no more than a block or two away.
'There is a kind of communism,' Mr Morello said, 'when actually one should pay for the quality one receives.'
The make-up of the traditional Italian espresso, a brew of darkly roasted arabica and robusta beans, helped keep prices low, Dr Morris said.
As arabica bean prices rose, some Italian producers increased the proportion of cheaper robusta beans in the coffee blends, but that formula was no longer as effective when robusta prices also surged, he added.
A coffee menu in Turin, Italy.
PHOTO: FABIO BUCCIARELLI/NYTIMES
An espresso in Italy averaged €1.16 (S$1.74) as of the latest analysis in 2025 by Assoutenti, a non-profit consumer rights organisation, with the lowest average prices found in southern Italy.
The national average in January was up about 11.5 per cent from two years earlier, the analysis found, though Italy still sells some of the cheapest espressos in Western Europe.
Coffee bean prices have come down somewhat from their peak earlier in 2025. But they remain higher than before the surge, and experts fear extreme weather will continue to shrink global supply and keep prices high. US tariffs on coffee-producing countries, like Brazil, could drive prices up further.
The traditional Italian coffee bar relies on coffee sales for about 30 per cent of its revenue, said Mr Luciano Sbraga, deputy director for the Federation of Italian Public Establishments, a trade association for the food and hospitality sector.
Some owners have found it is more profitable to also sell food, for breakfast, lunch or an aperitivo dinner known as 'apericena', rather than just coffee.
'Many bars are becoming more similar to restaurants,' he said.
That was the choice Mr Consilvio made when he bought and renovated his bar, in a stately plaza in central Turin.
The previous owner had sold espressos for less than a euro apiece, a price that Mr Consilvio said simply 'can't work'.
He sells espressos at his bar, Cicinin, for €2 for table service and €1.30 at the counter because nearby bars charge €1.30. (He had wanted to charge €1.50.)
Mr Consilvio, who says he drinks seven to eight espressos a day, lamented that espresso machines had become standard in offices and businesses.
'Hairdressers have them,' he scoffed, so fewer people go to bars. When they do, they demand 'the perfect coffee, not too bitter', he grumbled.
In a sign of how much the industry has changed, a capsule coffee machine by Lavazza, the giant Italian coffee producer, has now taken its place at the company's museum in Turin, alongside machines that helped create modern espresso.
A server at Caffe Torino in Turin, Italy, in June.
PHOTO: FABIO BUCCIARELLI/NYTIMES
Executives from Lavazza and Illy, the Italian coffee producer based in Trieste, have warned for more than a year that higher coffee bean prices are most likely here to stay, presenting challenges to everyone from farmers outside Italy to large companies to mom-and-pop coffee shops to consumers.
At Gran Caffe Gambrinus, a cafe in Naples opened in 1860, an espresso at the counter now costs €1.80, up from €1.50, said one of the owners, Mr Massimiliano Rosati. The increase makes no difference for a tourist who comes to Naples, he added.
That is often not the case for traditional family-run coffee bars, which tend to compete on price.
At Giolitti near the Italian Parliament in Rome, Ms Giovanna Giolitti said she and her brothers recently raised the price of an espresso at the counter to €1.30, from €1.20.
Coffee bean prices justified an even bigger hike, she said, but that would have hurt locals.
'Coffee is something that everyone drinks every day,' said Ms Giolitti, who is among the fourth generation of Giolittis to run the bar.
Breakfast customers at Caffe Baratti & Milano, in Turin, Italy.
PHOTO: FABIO BUCCIARELLI/NYTIMES
In Sant'Eustachio il Caffe near the Pantheon, on a sunny spring Saturday, every outdoor table was full and a line of customers snaked out the door.
At one table, two friends, Mr Filippo Facchinetti and Mr Gabriele Bonfanti, shook their heads when their two espressos came up to €9.
Mr Bonfanti, who lives in Rome, said he had started making more coffee at home, in part because of pricing, but also because some bars use too bitter and dark a roast for his liking.
Mr Facchinetti, who lives in Genoa, called two espressos a day his 'bare minimum', though that day he had already had four, and some days he has six.
Even recent mark-ups, he said, will not chase away a nation with a serious coffee craving.
'It's too important,' he said, adding that the Italian espresso ritual 'won't ever change'. NYTIMES
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Allianz Life says majority of customers' data stolen in hack
Allianz Life says majority of customers' data stolen in hack

Straits Times

time3 hours ago

  • Straits Times

Allianz Life says majority of customers' data stolen in hack

Find out what's new on ST website and app. The data breach, which Allianz Life described as a hack, occurred on July 16 and was discovered on July 17. NEW YORK - US insurance giant Allianz Life said on July 26 that hackers stole the personal information of the majority of its customers, financial professionals, and select Allianz Life employees. The insurance giant's filing with Maine's attorney general did not immediately provide the number of customers affected. As per the filing, the data breach, which the company described as a hack, occurred on July 16 and was discovered on July 17. The data breach was first reported by TechCrunch. 'On July 16, 2025, a malicious threat actor gained access to a third-party, cloud-based CRM system used by Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (Allianz Life). The threat actor was able to obtain personally identifiable data related to the majority of Allianz Life's customers, financial professionals, and select Allianz Life employees, using a social engineering technique,' a spokesperson for Allianz Life told Reuters in an emailed statement. The insurance giant said it notified the FBI and based on its ongoing investigation that there is no evidence the Allianz Life network or other company systems were accessed, including their policy administration system. This incident is related only to Allianz Life, which currently has 1.4 million customers, the company said. REUTERS Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Woman taken to hospital after car falls into sinkhole on Tanjong Katong Road Singapore Students hide vapes in underwear, toilet roll holders: S'pore schools grapple with vaping scourge Singapore 'I've tried everything': Mum helpless as son's Kpod addiction spirals out of control Singapore NDP 2025: How Benjamin Kheng is whisked from Marina Bay to Padang in 10 minutes by boat, buggy Singapore Almost half of planned 30,000 HDB flats in Tengah to be completed by end-2025: Chee Hong Tat Singapore From libraries to living rooms: How reading habits take root in underserved S'pore children Asia Thai-Cambodia clashes spread along frontier as death toll rises Asia Thousands rally in downtown Kuala Lumpur for resignation of PM Anwar

For the first time, more jobless college grads than middle school grads in South Korea
For the first time, more jobless college grads than middle school grads in South Korea

Straits Times

time9 hours ago

  • Straits Times

For the first time, more jobless college grads than middle school grads in South Korea

Find out what's new on ST website and app. SEOUL - More South Koreans with college degrees are now out of the workforce than those who only finished middle school. It is the first time this has happened, and it reveals a growing fault line in the country's labour market. New data released by Statistics Korea on July 22 showed that 3.048 million people aged 15 and older with a four-year university degree or higher are not working and not looking for work. That number now slightly surpasses the 3.03 million among those whose education stopped at middle school. Just 10 years ago, the gap between these groups was more than one million in the opposite direction. The shift reflects a wider imbalance. South Korea has one of the world's highest university enrollment rates, but the job market has not kept up. Many recent graduates are preparing for exams, stuck waiting for job openings or have left the labour market entirely. They are statistically classified as 'non-economically active', meaning they are not employed or actively seeking a job. Behind the numbers is a tight hiring environment. According to a 2025 survey by the Korea Enterprises Federation, only 60.8 per cent of large companies said they planned to hire new staff this year. That is the lowest share since 2022. College-educated job seekers tend to target high-value sectors like tech or finance. But growth in these areas has slowed. That slowdown is forcing many graduates into limbo, especially as entry-level positions shrink. South Korea's service industry offers little relief. A July report from the Bank of Korea found that labour productivity in domestic services, including IT and retail, was just 39.7 per cent of the manufacturing sector in 2024. That ratio has barely moved in 20 years. Compared to other countries, the gap is just as wide. According to the BOK report, South Korea's service-sector productivity measured only 51.1 when indexed against the United States at 100. The OECD average was 59.9. Germany reached 59.2. Japan stood at 56. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

No purchase needed: South Korea businesses offer heat relief to the public
No purchase needed: South Korea businesses offer heat relief to the public

Straits Times

time10 hours ago

  • Straits Times

No purchase needed: South Korea businesses offer heat relief to the public

Find out what's new on ST website and app. The latest campaign comes as the number of people suffering from heat-related illnesses continues to climb during the heat wave. SEOUL - Amid the sweltering summer heat , commercial spaces such as convenience stores and banks in South Korea are opening their doors as cooling stations for the public. BGF Retail, the operator of CU convenience stores, said on July 23 that its more than 18,000 branches nationwide will welcome all passersby, especially children, the elderly and pregnant women, to cool off without requiring a purchase. CU stores across the country began putting up signs about the policy on the same day. The latest campaign comes as the number of people suffering from heat-related illnesses continues to climb during the heat wave. On July 22 alone, 136 people across the country were admitted to emergency rooms due to heat-related illnesses, nearly double the number on the previous day. So far, 1,860 people have fallen ill from the heat and nine have died, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. 'With the country's largest network of convenience stores, we aim to serve as a safety net for the public,' a CU official said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Almost half of planned 30,000 HDB flats in Tengah to be completed by end-2025: Chee Hong Tat Asia Death toll climbs as Thai-Cambodia clashes continue despite calls for ceasefire Multimedia Lights dimmed at South-east Asia's scam hub but 'pig butchering' continues Singapore Black belt in taekwondo, Grade 8 in piano: S'pore teen excels despite condition that limits movements Asia Where's Jho Low? Looking for 1MDB fugitive in Shanghai's luxury estate Asia Thousands rally in downtown Kuala Lumpur calling for the resignation of PM Anwar Life SG60 F&B icons: Honouring 14 heritage brands that have never lost their charm Business Can STI continue its defiant climb in second half of 2025? Local banks, which have long served as de facto heat shelters thanks to their strong air conditioning and cold water dispensers, also welcome people seeking relief from the summer heat, with some even setting up a designated space for them. Based on a 2018 agreement with the Financial Services Commission, banks, mutual finance institutions and savings banks have provided cooling spaces at 5,054 locations nationwide. In response to the record-breaking heat, they recently expanded the number to over 14,000 locations. These shelters will operate from 9am to 4pm daily until Sept 30, the end of the government-designated heat response period. However, despite the good intentions behind businesses' efforts to respond to the heat wave, some have voiced concerns about potential downsides to opening up private commercial spaces to the public. 'What if there's no seat left when I want to eat alone at a convenience store? I might not get a spot even if I pay,' one user wrote on X. Another commented, 'Banks are already packed with people cooling off. This will just make it more chaotic.' Intense heat is expected to continue into the weekend, with Seoul forecast to reach a high of 38 deg Celsius on July 26. Nighttime temperatures are also expected to remain high, nearing 30 deg Celsius, a level considered a 'super tropical night,' according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store