The Exchange | Looking Back at 2025 Ep. 48

Mark and Todd and sometimes Mike look back at 2025, a challenging year for many people and professions but particularly impactful on coffee as we saw several historically unusual perfects storms overtake the industry. From prices to tariffs and all the volatility in between Mark and Todd reluctantly return to some of the difficult days, a bright spot or two, and take a moment to look forward.

Takeaways

• 2025 was a challenging year for the coffee industry.
• Market volatility led to unprecedented price fluctuations.
• Tariffs significantly impacted coffee imports and pricing.
• Small roasters faced immense pressure due to high costs.
• Unionization efforts are gaining traction in the coffee sector.
• Women in coffee are making significant strides in leadership roles.
• The specialty coffee market is evolving with consumer preferences.
• The importance of supporting smallholder producers is critical.