The petition, titled “Exempt Coffee from Tariffs: Protect American Small Businesses and Preserve Coffee Quality,” has begun gaining traction online
Coffee Bros., a U.S.-based specialty coffee roaster, is urging the federal government to immediately exempt coffee from the newly imposed tariffs that threaten to disrupt the American coffee industry, drive up prices for consumers, and undermine long-standing international supply relationships.
The petition, titled “Exempt Coffee from Tariffs: Protect American Small Businesses and Preserve Coffee Quality,” has begun gaining traction online, urging action to protect a critical industry that supports more than 2.2 million American jobs.
On April 2nd, the Trump administration announced steep tariffs on coffee imports from 15 of the world’s top 20 coffee-producing countries — including Brazil, Vietnam, India, Colombia, and Indonesia — countries that supply the vast majority of the raw coffee beans roasted and served across the United States. Some origins now face tariffs of up to 46 per cent.
“These policies are misaligned with the nature of the coffee industry,” said Dan Hunnewell, co-founder of Coffee Bros. “Coffee cannot be manufactured at scale in the United States. Hawaii and Puerto Rico produce less than 1 per cent of what Americans consume, making tariffs not only unnecessary but deeply harmful.”
Compounding the issue are soaring green coffee prices driven by speculation on the C-Market and global climate-related shortages, especially in Brazil and Vietnam. Green coffee prices have increased over 100 per cent, placing unprecedented strain on coffee roasters and specialty cafés across the country.
