Essay about Coffee Supply, Demand and Price Elasticity

GMCR’s warns of the potential impact of the price of coffee on the gross profit margin. To combat this, GMCR had made a number of purchase commitments to ensure an adequate supply of coffee (GMCR Annual Report, 2010). The market price for coffee is impacted by numerous factors including weather, economy, and competition. It is vital that GMCR continue to take proactive measures to secure against unforeseen spikes in coffee prices. The price of coffee does not only impact GMCR’s ability produce coffee for the Keurig brewer under its namesake but impacts their partner suppliers as well. GMCR purchases coffee from brokers, farms, estates, and cooperative groups and essentially diversifies its coffee supply, reducing some supply risk (GMCR Annual Report, 2010).

As warranted, the café will raise prices to boast brand image. Prices communicate a perceived value of a product; so if set too low, the customers might assume that the beverages are inferior compared to the competition

Today, coffee has become the most popular beverage consumed in North America. Many coffee shops have been built, such as Starbucks, Panthers coffee, which are inflating the economy. Coffee is so much

Apple juice and orange juice are substitutes for consumers, so the fall in the price of apple juice decreases the demand for orange juice. The demand curve for orange juice shifts leftward. The increase in the wage rate paid to orange grove workers raises the cost of producing orange juice. The supply of orange juice decreases and the supply curve of orange juice shifts leftward. The net effect of these events decreases the equilibrium quantity but has an undetermined effect on equilibrium price. If supply decreases by more than the demand, the shift in the

There are numerous factors that can impact the long-term equilibrium, such as changes in supply. Generally the supply will increase and a new equilibrium will be found. Yet if a unanticipated event occurred that prevented an increase in supply being available for the market, then we can expect a different adjustment. A great example would be, if a hard freeze eliminated Brazil’s premium coffee crop. That would cause a negative shift in the supply curve. Assuming demand remains constant, a negative shift in the supply curve will cause quantity to decrease and equilibrium price to increase. Brazil is responsible for approximately 25% of the world’s coffee supply. According to coffee research.org “ news of Brazil coffee frosts echoes around the world within a matter of minutes. Correspondingly, coffee prices usually jump due to expectations of a worldwide coffee shortage.” ("Coffee frosts," 2001)

In years past, coffee was relatively inexpensive to buy because coffee was typically consumed in certain countries, but now that many more countries are consuming coffee, the supply is having a difficult time keeping up with the demand. For instance, if economists predicted in 1980 that the demand for coffee would increase between 50% and 80% by 1990, then it would stand to reason that farmers would have probably enlarged the size of their crops in order to accommodate the demand. However, in 1990 the demand for coffee only rose by 10% thereby creating a surplus of coffee on the market for consumers. Because coffee is so easily obtainable, and farmers are trying to sell their goods so the crops will not go to waste, prices begin to drop to help tempt purchasers, which helps the producers so they avoid losing their investment entirely.

When a company experiences a new equilibrium price causing a higher demand with this higher demand the coffee population will have the opportunity to pay higher wages and invest in more coffee R&D and processing technology and create a better infrastructure for the Starbucks corporation. If this demand does exist it would allow other companies to enter the market giving star bucks more competition. Once all the smoke settles with this new product the demand will begin to slow down because of increased supply, competition and more growers will produce more of the needed coffee beans needed to product this new coffee type. Starbucks is constantly doing this with its new products. Originally they were the new kids on the block with the newest premium coffee, but due to this trending copy cats have entered the market, and once the consumer realized that prices went up. They to begin to find alternatives to drinking premium coffee. Several of these substitutes

This causes the price and the quantity move in opposite directions in a supply curve shift. Also, if the quantity supplied decreases at any given price the opposite will happen.

The price adjusts to rise when the quantity demanded exceeds the quantity supplied and for price to fall when the quantity supplied exceeds the quantity demanded is a central elements to supply and demand. Although individuals tendencies to change prices exist as quantity supplied and quantity demanded differ the changes in price brings the law of supply and demand into play. Whenever the quantity supplied and quantity demanded are unequal, price will stay the same cause no one will have an incentive to change. One thing to remember equilibrium is not the model framework they use to look at the world. Although to establishing the current value of a consumer product Economics has evolved through the centuries there are a few factors that led to a change in

of the following, indicate the possible effects on demand, supply, or both as well as

Coffee is considered as being the most favorite hot beverage that is consumed within the United States. Coffee is consumed by over 60% of the U.S. population. The accessibility and expenses of coffee substitutes such as tea, cocoa, and coffee complements (sugar or creamer) in addition plays a major role in which sets the coffee prices. During the 1957-87 era, the cost of coffee had beyond tripled, the per capita of US consumption of coffee declined to 44.3%, and actual disposable personal earning expanded to 246%. With the reduction of per capita US coffee demand could have possibly been associated with the increasing expenses of coffee, modifications within the taste changes that were made due to dietary concerns and the variety of transformations

The demand for coffee shops is born from the increased number of individuals seeking coffee brewed outside of the home. This creates a larger market for coffee shops. An increased amount of people are starting their mornings off by purchasing breakfast and a cup of coffee away from home (Tuttle 2014), more people are enjoying gourmet coffee (NCA National Coffee Drinking Trends 2015 Infographic), and younger generations are demanding more coffee and coffee drinks from coffee shops (Tuttle 2014, S&D Coffee and Tea inc. 2014, Statista 2015). Coffee shops must compete with at home coffee, work place coffee, and teas for the caffeinated beverage markets (LN 2015). Demand for coffee within different markets varies, and provides competition for coffee shops. Single cup coffee makers, increasingly qualitative instant coffees, and gourmet beans are all sources of competition that could satisfy the demand for coffee. However, coffee shops are becoming more ingrained in social

Evaluate each of the following changes in supply and/or demand. How will each affect equilibrium price and quantity in a competitive market? Will price and quantity rise, fall, or be unchanged? Based on shifts, will the answers be indeterminate?

Assuming that the demand and supply for premium coffees are in equilibrium, the price will be at a constant, without significant pressure from the market. If Starbucks introduced the world to premium blends, this would cause a positive shift in the demand curve. There a higher equilibrium price and higher quantity when demand increases and supply remain unchanged. As prices increase, and the market moves to a new equilibrium, we will see higher wages, more advances and investments in technology and infrastructure, and greater competition. As production become more efficient and competition becomes greater, supply will increase and cause prices to settle back down. There are several factors that will impact the long-term equilibrium, such as changes in supply. For example, if a hard freeze eliminated Brazil’s premium coffee crop, this would cause a negative shift in the supply curve. Assuming demand remains constant a negative shift in the supply curve will cause quantity to decrease and equilibrium price to increase. Research shows that in 2011 a frost occurred in Brazil's southeastern coffee growing belt. Traders worried that next year's yields could be hurt. At the same time, heavy rains during harvest forced Columbia to reduce its crop estimate for 2011. Understanding the impact of problems along the supply chain and how the changes in supply

* Interest rates – An increase in interest rates in the USA would result in plans for investment and expansion being deterred by the Starbucks resulting in decreased productivity of the company. Furthermore, increased expenses for the consumers such as rising mortgage repayments would result in decreased availability of income to spend on luxurious products such as coffee. Low interest rates should have the