Kopi luwak is a very expensive type of coffee known for its unique production process. It is made from coffee beans that are partially digested by a catlike creature called a civet and then excreted. This coffee can be as expensive as $80 per cup in the United States.
Animal Poop Brews World’s Costliest Coffee
Indulge in the allure of kopi luwak, an exquisitely rare variety of coffee renowned for its extraordinary production process. Originating from coffee beans that undergo partial digestion within the entrails of a feline-esque creature known as a civet, this captivating elixir is then excreted. Fascinatingly, a single cup of this ambrosial beverage can command a staggering price of up to $80 within the United States.
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Animals called civets can be found in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. They resemble monkeys in length, have raccoon-like facial characteristics, and have stripes or spots on their body. They participate in the ecology by eating fruits including coffee cherries and mangoes, small reptiles, and insects. However, crocodiles, big snakes, and leopards also prey on them.
The civet coffee trade initially had a good impact on these animals. The Asian palm civet was viewed as a nuisance in Indonesia that hurt orchards. Because the faeces from civets is valuable, the kopi luwak industry has grown and encouraged local communities to safeguard them. The civets’ digestive enzymes alter the coffee beans, producing a smoother and less bitter.
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However, more wild civets have been housed in cages on coffee farms as civet coffee gained popularity and Indonesia developed as a travel destination. This is done to produce coffee as well as to profit from visitors who wish to observe and interact with the civets.