Bill Elliot, a resident of Chico, California, enjoys making his morning espresso at home. “I have a nice espresso machine at home and I make my own every morning,” Elliot shared. However, during a recent getaway to Reno with his wife, Nicole, he decided to treat himself to a café experience, noting that he isn’t concerned about prices while on vacation. Despite many coffee lovers’ indulgences, a nationwide concern has emerged regarding the rising cost of coffee. This increase can be linked directly to tariffs imposed by President Trump in April.
Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto has highlighted these tariffs as a driving factor behind significant price hikes in coffee. “We have seen prices increase… 40% year-over-year,” she stated. In a proactive measure, Senator Cortez Masto introduced the No Coffee Tax Act, which seeks to reduce coffee tariffs back to 0%, akin to the levels before Trump took office. Given that the U.S. imports 99.9% of its coffee beans—predominantly from Brazil—the current policy has imposed a 50% tariff on these imports.
Local businesses are feeling the pinch of these price increases. Mark Trujillo, owner of Hub Coffee Roasters in northern Nevada, reported that his establishment has had to raise prices between 30 to 60%. “Now all of a sudden, the costs of everything to run our business have gone up, and that is a direct correlation to these tariffs,” Trujillo explained.
In a separate but related development, the U.S. Supreme Court recently heard arguments concerning the legality of the administration’s tariff policies. President Trump underscored the importance of the case, asserting, “Without being able to use tariffs freely, openly, and in every way, we are really suffering tremendously from a national security standpoint.” The Court has moved swiftly, with a decision anticipated in the coming weeks, which could significantly impact the coffee industry and consumers alike.
The outcome of the case will be closely watched as it holds the potential for both price relief for coffee enthusiasts and crucial implications for small businesses dependent on affordable coffee imports.