BOZEMAN — If you're like 70% of Americans who enjoy a cup of coffee at least once a week, your morning ritual might soon become more expensive due to recent tariff increases.
"As far as coffee beans go, we have to import them from other countries," says Natalie Van Dusen, founder of Treeline Coffee Roasters in Bozeman.
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Bozeman has become a coffee destination, with Treeline frequently mentioned among local favorites.
Van Dusen's passion for coffee roasting began after a trip to Colombia in 2008, which established relationships that continue today.
"A lot of these relationships we've built over a decade. And it's important to us to work with farmers year over year. They really rely on their customers being committed," Van Dusen explains.
According to Daily Coffee, new tariffs ranging from 10 to 46% have been imposed on imports from the world's top coffee-producing countries.
Treeline imports approximately 80,000 pounds of beans annually, with most coming from Colombia and Guatemala — both now facing a 10% tariff.
"We're trying to take this one step at a time and stay level-headed and not panic," says Van Dusen.
What concerns Van Dusen most about these tariffs is the constant change and uncertainty surrounding them.
"A lot of our products that we have purchased are contracts that we have in place throughout the end of the year. And they're not even in the U.S. yet. So we're already committed regardless of what takes place," she notes.
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This uncertainty makes it difficult for Van Dusen to predict whether prices will increase at the café.
"We're trying to balance having a healthy business that we can afford to manage, and charge our customers accordingly. We also aren't looking to jack our prices overnight either. So it's a fine balance of how we can manage that," Van Dusen says.
Other coffee roasters in the area face similar challenges. USA Facts reports that the U.S. imports 99% of its coffee, totaling around $8 billion annually. With a minimum 10% tariff added, the impact is significant.
"It makes us very nervous and we do not want to pass any more extra expense than we need to onto our customers, but the reality is we don't have much choice," says Chad Kimm, co-owner of Ghost Town Coffee Roasters, another major player in Bozeman's coffee scene.
Kimm is concerned not only about coffee prices but also about Lamplighter Café Services, Ghost Town's spin-off business that sells and repairs coffee equipment.
"Equipment that's primarily made in European countries. Italy — we're also looking at equipment made in Switzerland and countries like that," Kimm explains.
According to Kimm, most coffee equipment — from grinders to espresso machines — comes from European countries currently facing minimum 20% tariffs. Italy falls within that bracket, while countries like Switzerland are subject to a 31% tariff.
"That's a pretty significant uptick that unfortunately we have no choice but to pass that onto the customer," says Kimm, explaining that these increases are necessary just to meet margins.
Despite these challenges, both coffee roasters share a common goal moving forward in this uncertain economy.
"We're certainly not raising prices to make more profit. If anything, we will probably be eating some of the costs along the way. We already have. But our goal is continuing to do what we've always done. Continuing to create a space where people can come and connect and be good stewards in our community," Van Dusen says.
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