Theft of truckloads of green coffee beans is surging in the USA, the world’s largest importer of this valuable commodity. This rise in theft is linked to an increase in coffee bean prices, which reached all-time highs last year, according to various transportation companies.
Market participants addressed this growing issue over the weekend in Houston, during the annual conference held by the U.S. National Coffee Association.
As the largest consumer of coffee, the USA is heavily reliant on imports, sourcing nearly 100% of its coffee from warmer regions. This necessitates the transportation of millions of bags from ports to roasting facilities, primarily using trucks.
“There were dozens of thefts in the last year, something that would happen only rarely in the past,” stated Todd Costley, a logistics sales coordinator for Hartley Transportation, a freight broker based in Pembroke, New Hampshire.
Reports of coffee theft have also surfaced in producing countries like Brazil and Vietnam, particularly on farms where beans are temporarily stored post-harvest. These locations are often vulnerable due to their isolation.
For instance, in January, armed intruders stole 500 bags of coffee valued at approximately $230,000 from a farm located in Brazil’s Minas Gerais state, as reported by local authorities.
In the USA, organized criminal gangs are behind these thefts, often masquerading as legitimate transportation companies. Costley remarked that these deceptive firms are targeting small contracts from importers by offering lower prices or immediate truck availability.
“Importers should be cautious about who they hire,” Costley advised. “Once they obtain the coffee, they vanish without a trace.” Each truckload carries about 19,958 kg of green beans, which, at current market values, amounts to around $180,000.
Some market participants suspect that these gangs subsequently attempt to sell the stolen beans to smaller roasters, who are already struggling with skyrocketing prices. In response to the rising thefts, some importers have begun attaching tracking devices to their coffee bags to safeguard their shipments.