What is wow'ing you? - Page 40

Discuss flavors, brew temperatures, blending, and cupping notes.
gophish
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#391: Post by gophish »

I've been interested to try HoneyCo, but I keep getting stuck on the turn off of 10oz bags... it's like roasters keeping shrinking bags but keeping prices the same. I understand coffee is a commodity and prices may rise, but 10oz isn't very much to even get dialed in and enjoy for more than a few drinks.
Versalab

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Boldjava
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#392: Post by Boldjava »

gophish wrote:I've been interested to try HoneyCo, but I keep getting stuck on the turn off of 10oz bags..., but 10oz isn't very much to even get dialed in and enjoy for more than a few drinks.
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endlesscycles
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#393: Post by endlesscycles »

gophish wrote:I've been interested to try HoneyCo, but I keep getting stuck on the turn off of 10oz bags... it's like roasters keeping shrinking bags but keeping prices the same. I understand coffee is a commodity and prices may rise, but 10oz isn't very much to even get dialed in and enjoy for more than a few drinks.
Buy multiple bags then.
-Marshall Hance
Asheville, NC

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Eastsideloco
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#394: Post by Eastsideloco »

gophish wrote:I understand coffee is a commodity and prices may rise,
While most coffee is traded as a commodity, the whole point of specialty coffee is to celebrate what is unique and exotic about coffee from a specific farm or washing station or an exceptional blend. This is really the antithesis of commodity coffee, which assumes that coffee is identical and interchangeable.

I suspect that most roasters are providing smaller package volumes simply because a lot of people would rather have two 8-ounce bags of coffee on their shelf at home than a single 1-pound bag. For example, I like smaller packages because I can taste different coffees side-by-side and yet still finish each coffee within its shelf life. For me, this is much more enjoyable than drinking the same coffee for weeks at a time. Who wants to eat the same meal every day?

The good new is that if 8- or 10-ounce bags aren't for you, the market is brimming with higher-volume alternatives. But it's kinda silly to suggest that roasters are offering smaller package volumes because their customer's can't do basic math. And it's grossly unfair to producers to suggest that specialty coffee is over-priced. (Sorry for getting rant-y.)

gophish
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#395: Post by gophish »

Fair points, and I understand and respect that my opinion may not be shared by many or any.

David, I can see your point on the flexibility that smaller volume packages offer, and HoneyCo do offer a 1 Kilo option, but that can be a bit of a big jump. And as basic as math is, I do somewhat think that maybe some roasters are relying on the consumer not noticing the smaller bag. Maybe that's a conspiracy theory, or the skeptic in me, but it does seem to be the trend as of recent. I'm not even bringing this point up with sheer cost or $/lb in mind, just that there seems to be a general trend towards smaller and smaller packages.

And I realize I could buy multiple bags, and that nobody is forcing me to purchase from them, just a small rant of my own.
Versalab

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heavyduty
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#396: Post by heavyduty »

endlesscycles wrote:Buy multiple bags then.
That's a somewhat flippant remark. If he doesn't like the price/quantity ratio on 1 bag, buying more bags doesn't change that unless there is some sort of discount or free shipping.

Edit: Did not see gophish's response before my post.
Tomorrow came sooner than expected.

Paul

brianl
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#397: Post by brianl »

Smaller sizes are great. What isn't great is the roaster increasing the price based on it being a smaller quantity as opposed to say a 12oz. I don't think it's deceptive, just kind of annoying.

MTN AIR roasting for example has very fair prices considering they are 250g packages (not to mention the free shipping).

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Compass Coffee
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#398: Post by Compass Coffee »

brianl wrote:Smaller sizes are great. What isn't great is the roaster increasing the price based on it being a smaller quantity as opposed to say a 12oz. I don't think it's deceptive, just kind of annoying.
Multiple high barrier valved bags cost more than one and it takes more time to bag the same weight of coffee. Simple economic cost of goods, you're paying for the convenience factor of multiple smaller packages.
Mike McGinness

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caldwa
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#399: Post by caldwa »

FWIW, HoneyCo offers a 10% discount when you set up a recurring shipment, which can be cancelled at any time. I decided to "subscribe" to 2 10oz bags of their Classic Espresso every 3 weeks, and the shipped price/lb is around $23/lb. I go through that amount of beans in a week or so, so it stays fresh. To me, that's a pretty reasonable price, especially since I've found it's top quality stuff.

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caldwa
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#400: Post by caldwa »

gophish wrote: David, I can see your point on the flexibility that smaller volume packages offer, and HoneyCo do offer a 1 Kilo option, but that can be a bit of a big jump. And as basic as math is, I do somewhat think that maybe some roasters are relying on the consumer not noticing the smaller bag. Maybe that's a conspiracy theory, or the skeptic in me, but it does seem to be the trend as of recent.
It could be that some roasters are switching to smaller bags hoping that consumers don't notice, but actually I prefer smaller bags :D I like to try as many different types of coffees as I can, particularly since I've been doing pourovers more, and I'm okay with paying a little bit more per pound in order to try coffees in smaller amounts (8oz, 10oz). If I like it I can always order more, but if I'm not a fan I'm not stuck with almost a lb of coffee I spent $25 on and isn't my thing.

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