What Is the Coffee C Price? How Coffee Prices Are Set

When news reports say coffee prices hit a record, they almost always mean one number: the coffee C price. So what is the coffee C price? It is the price of the Coffee C futures contract traded on ICE Futures U.S. in New York, the world’s benchmark for Arabica green coffee. It is quoted in US cents per pound of unroasted beans, and traders, exporters and roasters use it as the starting point for pricing physical coffee all over the world.

Below you will find how the contract works, why it moves, how farmers and roasters price coffee off it, and a worked example of what a change in the C price means for a 12 oz bag.

Key takeaways

• The C price is the ICE Coffee C futures price for Arabica, quoted in US cents per pound of green coffee.
• One contract covers 37,500 lb of exchange-grade green coffee from one of 20 origin countries.
• Physical coffee is usually priced as the C price plus or minus a differential for origin and quality.
• In October 2025, Arabica futures reached a then-record of about $4.38 per pound, according to Bloomberg.

In this article

1. What is the coffee C price?
2. How the Coffee C contract works
3. Differentials: from the C price to real coffee
4. Why the C price moves
5. What it means for your bag: a worked example
6. FAQ

What is the coffee C price?

A futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell a set quantity of a commodity at a set price on a future date. Coffee C futures let producers, exporters, importers and roasters lock in prices months ahead and manage risk, and they let speculators bet on direction. The price at which these contracts trade becomes the reference for the physical market.

Robusta has its own benchmark, a separate futures contract traded on ICE Futures Europe in London and quoted in US dollars per metric ton. When people say “the C,” they mean Arabica.

How the Coffee C contract works

At $4.00 per pound, one contract is worth 37,500 × $4.00 = $150,000. Very few contracts end in delivery; most are closed out before expiry. But the possibility of delivery keeps the futures price tied to real coffee.

Which coffees can be delivered?

ICE lists 20 origin countries, each with a set premium or discount relative to the basis. Mexico, Central American growers such as Honduras and Nicaragua, Peru, Tanzania, Uganda and Papua New Guinea are deliverable at par. Colombia, Costa Rica, Kenya and Guatemala carry premiums, while Brazil and some others are delivered at a discount. The exchange has also listed Vietnamese Arabica as deliverable from the May 2027 contract.

Differentials: from the C price to real coffee

Almost no one buys a sack of coffee at exactly the C price. Physical contracts are usually written as C + differential:

• Commercial coffee may trade at a small premium or even a discount to the C.
• Higher-quality and certified coffee earns a larger differential.
• Specialty micro-lots are often sold at fixed prices negotiated directly, sometimes far above the C.

That is why farmers watch the C closely even if they never trade futures: their local buying price usually moves with it. For how quality is graded before any price is set, see our guide to coffee grades.

Why the C price moves

In February 2025, Arabica futures set a record near $4.30 per pound, and in October 2025 they climbed to about $4.38, with reports citing tariffs and weather concerns in Brazil. Low prices can be just as damaging: when the C falls below farmers’ production costs, many struggle to cover expenses. Our article on coffee and climate change looks at the long-term supply risks.

What it means for your bag: a worked example

Roasting removes water, so green coffee loses roughly 15–20% of its weight in the roaster. A 12 oz (0.75 lb) bag of roasted coffee therefore needs about 0.88–0.92 lb of green coffee.

Then add the differential for quality, export costs, shipping, import duties where they apply, warehousing, roasting, packaging, labor, delivery and retail margin. So a doubling of the C price does not double the price of a bag, but it does add a few dollars at every step where coffee changes hands.

At Feel Espresso, every bag is roasted 1–5 days before delivery, so you pay for coffee that is still at its best. Several of our single origins come from exchange-deliverable countries, including Colombia, Kenya, Guatemala and Brazil Santos, each with its own character beyond the benchmark price. To see how home brewing compares with café prices, read home coffee vs coffee shop cost.

Coffee C price FAQ

Why is it called the C price?

“Coffee C” is the name of ICE’s Arabica futures contract. The C is part of the contract name rather than a grade you will see on a bag.

Where can I check the coffee C price?

ICE publishes prices, and financial news sites and market data services show delayed quotes under the ticker KC.

Do farmers get the C price?

Not directly. They receive a local price that usually tracks the C minus costs of processing, transport and export, or a negotiated price for higher quality.

Does the C price affect specialty coffee?

Yes, though less directly. Specialty lots often have fixed prices, but those negotiations still start from what the commodity market pays.

Sources

1. Coffee C Futures contract specifications, ICE Futures U.S.
2. Coffee Prices Top Record as Trade and Supply Concerns Mount, Bloomberg, 2025.

Facts checked in October 2026.

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