Roaster buys coffee farm in Colombia

Michael Mann, owner of Roasted Record in Stuart, Florida, said he bought a coffee farm in Colombia after steep increases in bean costs squeezed his business. WPTV reported on May 19 that Mann made the purchase to gain more control over supply and pricing as coffee prices kept rising. The station said coffee was up 2% from April and 18.5% from a year earlier, citing the latest Consumer Price Index data. Mann told WPTV demand for specialty coffee at his shop has held up even as prices climbed. ### Who is the roaster and what did he buy? Roasted Record, a coffee and vinyl shop in Stuart now in its 10th year, is owned by Michael Mann, according to WPTV. Mann said the pressure of shortages, price swings and tariffs pushed him to look for another way to manage costs. Colombia was the location of the farm purchase, Mann told WPTV. He said the investment was one way for him and other roasters to think “outside the box” as green coffee prices rose and supply became harder to predict. ### How much have coffee costs risen for his business? A large burlap bag of beans now costs Mann as much as $900, WPTV reported. Mann said that represented a 200% increase from a couple of years ago. In a separate WPTV report from November 2025, he said a 132-pound bag that cost about $380 a year earlier had climbed to nearly $690. Brazil and Nicaragua were among the origins Mann cited as he tried to track shipments with his importer, according to WPTV. He said supply conditions could shift day to day depending on whether coffee had landed. ### What did WPTV say about grocery prices more broadly? WPTV reported that ground beef, tomatoes and coffee were among the grocery items with the steepest recent increases. (wptv.com) The station said ground beef rose 2.7% from April and 14.5% from a year earlier, while tomatoes were up nearly 40% from the same time last year. Coffee rose 2% from April and 18.5% over 12 months, the report said. Stuart customers interviewed by WPTV said they were still buying specialty coffee despite the higher prices. One customer, identified only as Ken, told the station that visiting specialty shops was also a hobby for him. ### Why buy a farm instead of just raising prices? Mann told WPTV the farm purchase was meant to help control costs. He said consumers and small coffee shops were bearing much of the pressure from higher coffee prices. (wptv.com) Specialty demand has remained firm at Roasted Record, WPTV reported. Mann said his shop was still recovering from losses tied to last year’s market conditions, even as customers continued to come in. ### Is there any sign prices could ease? In November 2025, Mann told WPTV he expected coffee prices to fall in 2026, though he said it could take another four to six months before customers saw that drop. On May 19, WPTV said there was hope some relief could come later this year, while noting that coffee prices were still moving higher in the latest monthly and annual data. May 19 is the latest dated report on Mann’s Colombia farm purchase, based on WPTV’s coverage. Roasted Record remains in Stuart, and WPTV said the shop’s customers were still buying specialty coffee as Mann worked to manage supply and pricing. (wptv.com)