New Mexico Piñon Coffee raises prices as tariffs drive up costs

One of New Mexico’s largest coffee roasters is making adjustments as the impact of tariffs continues to unfold.

New Mexico Piñon Coffee is raising prices for some products to counteract increased costs the company has faced since the Trump administration’s most recent round of tariffs went into effect last month, it announced in a letter addressed to customers posted on social media Monday.

The company — which sells its coffee products at five coffee shops in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho, in grocery stores across New Mexico, and online in markets throughout the United States — will also be applying standard shipping charges to orders less than $50, the letter said. Only orders totaling $50 or more will receive free shipping.

The changes will go into effect starting Sept. 15. While the company called the price adjustment a “small increase,” it is unclear exactly how much the increase will be. Company officials did not respond to the Journal’s request for comment Tuesday.

“Over the past several years, we’ve worked hard to keep our prices stable even as costs continued to rise,” the company said in the letter.

The cost of coffee beans has been climbing over the last decade as a result of extreme weather activity, inflation and increased demand across the globe.

“While we’ve done our best to absorb as much of these increases as possible, the scale of the recent changes has made it necessary for us to adjust our pricing while these tariffs remain in place,” the company continued.

Under the tariffs that went into effect in August, New Mexico Piñon Coffee’s green coffee and packaging vendors have been subject to tariffs ranging from 10% to 50%.

The tariffs have led to further cost increases for the coffee company, which said it is committed to sourcing high-quality ingredients while roasting its products in New Mexico.

While the company’s namesake, piñon, is grown in New Mexico, the company stopped blending “a very small amount of piñon nuts” in its coffee more than 25 years ago, according to its website. Today, the company’s coffee is made entirely from Brazilian coffee beans and a “custom-created, natural piñon flavoring.”

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in late July to impose a 50% tariff on goods imported into the U.S. from Brazil as part of the president’s efforts to establish balanced trade with U.S. trading partners.

In an earlier letter to Brazil’s president, Trump said the tariffs were “far less than what is needed” to create a level playing field; however, the U.S. carried a trade surplus with Brazil in 2024 and 2023, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

The president’s letter also cited Brazil’s “insidious attacks on Free Elections, and the fundamental Free Speech Rights of Americans” as other reasons for the lofty tariffs, which have significant implications for the many coffee shops and roasters who also source their beans from Brazil — the world’s top coffee producer and exporter.

Customers of New Mexico Piñon Coffee flocked to the company’s social media post on Monday to express their support.

“I’ll continue to be a faithful customer. Best coffee in the world. We understand the economic issues at play,” one person commented.

“It’s refreshing that you are upfront about the tariffs’ impact,” wrote another commenter.

The company said the price adjustment will allow it to maintain its quality, freshness and service while the tariffs are in place.