Luwak Coffee: The Truth Behind The World’s Most Expensive Coffee

Over the past couple of decades, Kopi Luwak, also known as Luwak Coffee or Civet Coffee, has become somewhat infamous in the coffee industry. Regarded as the most expensive coffee in the world, every speciality trader on the map aspires to be able to stock this beverage. However, there’s a dark and disturbing truth behind the beverage. What exactly is this exotic brew, how is it made, and what is the disturbing truth?

What is Luwak coffee and how is it made?

It all begins with the Asian palm civet, a small, nocturnal mammal that thrives in the forests of Southeast Asia. The civet, known locally as the luwak, has a particular fondness for ripe coffee cherries. The luwak can’t digest the coffee cherries, so they ferment in its digestive system and are excreted later on. The excreted coffee cherries and collected, cleaned, dried and roasted to create the final product: luwak coffee.

The fermentation process within the civet’s stomach is said to give the coffee its distinctive flavour — a smooth, less acidic, and earthy taste. The enzymes in the digestive system strip the coffee cherries of excess foliage which can impair the taste during the drying process. The cherries also absorb some of the digestive secretions, which alters their protein structure, removing some of the acidity to give a smoother taste.

Why do people drink this poop coffee?

There are a few reasons why people choose to drink luwak coffee: the unique taste, the status, the exotic allure and the novelty.

Not all civet coffee tastes the same, as the flavour can vary depending on the type of coffee cherries consumed, the civet’s diet, and even the region where the beans are harvested. This variability adds to the coffee’s exclusivity.

As one of the most expensive coffees in the world, luwak coffee is also seen as a status symbol. Many people seek it out to impress friends or clients, or simply to treat themselves to a luxurious experience.

Many people also want to try luwak coffee simply for the novelty. The idea of drinking “poop coffee” is interesting, and as a result, it’s a bit of a tourist draw.

Is Luwak Coffee ethical?

The production of luwak coffee is not without controversy, as the methods used to obtain the beans have raised ethical concerns over the years.

Before the luwak coffee industry kicked off, civets would raid plantations for coffee cherries and were seen as nothing more than pests.

This was until plantation workers in Indonesia, who were not allowed to pick coffee for themselves, discovered that the civets would eat and pass intact coffee cherries. The workers would collect, wash and brew these cherries, discovering that the resulting coffee tasted exceptional. The concept of Luwak Coffee was born.

At first, this new industry was a blessing for the luwaks. It motivated the local people to protect them and no longer see them as pests. However, as the demand for Luwak Coffee grew, wild luwaks were being captured and confined to cages, where they were force-fed coffee cherries and kept in appalling conditions.

In a study by the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, the conditions of 48 luwaks were assessed across 16 plantations in Bali. All 16 plantations failed to meet basic animal welfare requirements: the luwaks were kept in tiny, urine-soaked cages; were very thin due to being fed a restricted diet of coffee cherries only; had no access to clean water and were constantly disturbed by loud tourists.

Not only this, but most of the luwaks were also housed in cages with wire floors. Being forced to stand and sleep on wire flooring 24/7 causes severe pain and discomfort for any animal.

Luwaks are naturally solitary and therefore find it stressful to be caged in close proximity to other luwaks. And, like many animals, they need a varied diet to stay healthy. In the wild, they eat a variety of fruits and insects. Being force-fed caffeine-rich coffee beans is detrimental to their health, causing them to pass blood and eventually die. Caged luwaks have even been known to gnaw off their own legs as a result of great distress.

The bottom line

That cup of exotic, smooth luwak coffee was most probably made using unethical animal practices.

During my time in Indonesia, I noticed a lot of markets sold luwak coffee. I also visited a couple of coffee plantations and was shocked to see the conditions of these animals. I remember telling a woman who owned one of the plantations that the luwak cage had no water; she merely shrugged, clearly not interested in the welfare of the animal that provides her income.

Please do not contribute to the suffering of these animals. Boycott luwak coffee.

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