Coffee is becoming a luxury good: price increase hits Kiel coffee lovers!

Coffee is becoming a luxury good: price increase hits Kiel coffee lovers!

In northern Germany, coffee is becoming more and more a luxury good. The traditional Kiel roasting company Heyck is currently paying two and a half times the price for green coffee compared to spring 2024. The reasons for this include poor harvests caused by climate change and increased demand from Asia, especially from India and China. As a result of these developments, many Kiel traders are forced to increase coffee prices, which is also due to global coffee price increases. Loud daily news Coffee prices are at their highest level in 50 years and further price increases are expected in the future. The combination of extreme weather conditions and rising logistics costs further exacerbates the situation.

With a large number of growing countries such as Brazil and Vietnam responsible for over 90% of the global coffee volume, the situation becomes even more precarious. Unusual weather conditions, such as recent droughts in Brazil and the devastation caused by severe flooding in Vietnam, have severely affected the harvest. These developments not only impact retail pricing, but also coffee roasters and plantation owners, all of whom now have to contend with higher costs.

Political decisions and civic affairs

The election of a new mayor will take place in Kiel on November 16th. The field of candidates is diverse: Ulf Daude was nominated by the SPD and focuses on issues such as the cohesion of the Kiel population, investments in educational institutions and the promotion of small and medium-sized companies. As the current headmaster of the community school at Brook in Gaarden, he brings a lot of experience to the election. At the same time, Samet Yilmaz was appointed by the GREENS. The head of department in the Interior Ministry of Schleswig-Holstein also pursues the goal of building bridges between the districts, but has not yet presented any specific projects. Voters can brace themselves for an uncertain runoff election on December 7th, with no clear favorite visible on the horizon Kiel controversy reported.

Parallel to the elections, there are worrying developments in the living situation of Kiel's citizens. A tenant recently made allegations of fraud against the Vonovia housing company. He accuses the company of billing operating costs without providing the corresponding services, which the Kiel public prosecutor's office is currently investigating. The focus here is particularly on garden care and the maintenance of play areas.

Commercial challenges in Kiel

In addition, the city of Kiel is concerned with the fate of the “travel shop”, which has to close its doors by the end of January due to “advice theft”. Customers often buy cheaper online after the in-store consultation, which leads to significant financial losses for the travel shop. There is currently a clearance sale with bargains of up to 50% off.

There is another reason for concern in the form of an impending bomb defusal. An unexploded bomb from the Second World War will be defused in Suchsdorf on Saturday, November 15th. Around 1,740 residents have to temporarily pay for their apartments. The B76 and the train route between Kiel and Eckernförde will also be closed, which further complicates the situation in local traffic matters.

So a lot remains on the agenda in the Kiel community, and the coming days could be crucial for the city's further development - not only with regard to the election, but also with regard to the economic and social challenges.