December 2021 - Xmas trading hours, Coffee prices continue to surge

Date Posted:8 December 2021 

Christmas isn't a season. It's a feeling." - Edna Ferber

 

holiday time

 

December 2021

Welcome to our subscriber newsletter.

December will always be a hectic period with a rush to finish projects, reach targets or achieve milestones before the year closes and everything grinds to a halt.

It pushes us towards that rewarding sense of satisfaction in meeting expectations or goals we set throughout the calendar.

December also holds the mantle as being the busiest time of year for shipping and parcel networks so please take a moment to plan ahead as there is never a "good time for shipping parcels" in December.

It's also the reason we waited a full week before sending this newsletter - to avoid the impact created by the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales at the end of November.

All those sellers have been busy shipping out orders to create a nightmare of parcel congestion and delays. Unfortunately, every December it’s the same story, only it tends to get worse each year.

Speaking of that US-imported sales event, we poke a bit of fun at the ludicrous ways in which retailers may be sometimes pulling the wool over consumer's eyes in our blog below.

In other news, coffee farmers and exporters are currently enjoying the highest priced market in more than a decade, creating a dramatic and longer-term shift in power within the global coffee industry. We are experiencing the toughest conditions in a generation as coffee prices surge, not by the small inflation-type levels of sub 20% but big, ugly increases of up to 60 – 90% that distort and disrupt entire markets.

The ongoing shortfall in supply is forcing a structural change for the global coffee market and there’s one thing that is absolutely certain, coffee prices are rising again in 2022.  For us it's going to be another $2/kilo as the market has already jumped $4/kg.

Read our explainer below on how raw coffee has literally doubled in price over the last 12 months and what the impact will be for coffee drinkers.
 

Xmas and New Year Trading Hours

Our shipping partners have pinned the target as Monday 13th December being an important cut-off date to ensure parcels arrive before Xmas.

So folks, if you want to enjoy some fresh roasted coffee on Xmas day, please get your orders in over the next week, or more to the point, it really needs to happen pretty much now.

Obviously, this is an "estimate" and depends upon distance (WA customers please be aware you need to get in earlier) and assumes there are no restrictions in place that may extend delivery time frames.

The mycuppa online coffee bean store remains open 24/7 for accepting orders throughout the entire Xmas and New Year festive periods, however, please note shipping services do not operate on public holidays and this time of the year our freight partners may collect from our premises much earlier in the day.

In previous years, we have experienced some difficulties with Sendle collections in the period between Xmas and New Year where their partners have failed to collect every day (yes, very annoying).

As 70% of our customers choose Sendle over AusPost for their shipping, we hope Sendle's partners perform to expectation during the festive season. Currently, we advise our customers to consider AusPost as a more reliable choice between Xmas and New Year.

We are closed for just 1.5 days – from midday 23/12/21 to the 24/12/21, however, we are working on some public holidays in preparation for larger order volumes on the resumption of shipping services.
 

Date

Status

Shipping

Operations

23/12/21

Half day.

Last dispatch at midday

6:00am to midday only.

24/12/21

Online only

None – shutdown

Re-commence 28/12/21

27/12/21

Online only

None - public holiday

Re-commence 28/12/21

28/12/21

Online only

None – public holiday

Roasting and packing.

29/12/21

Open

Standard/Normal

Full hours, half capacity

30/12/21

Open

Standard/Normal

Full hours, half capacity

31/12/21

Open

Standard/Normal

Full hours, half capacity

3/1/22

Online only

None - public holiday

Roasting and packing only.

4/1/22

Open

Standard/Normal

Full hours, full capacity.

 
Orders placed after midday 23/12/21 will be dispatched on the next available parcel collection day - 29/12/21.

 

Secret Label

This month sees a welcome return for 2 of our most favorite origins that have been in such short supply since March.

We have paired coffees with unique characteristics to generate something a little different to the everyday.

Loving the fruit sweetness and whilst it was never our intention to create a Xmas-themed blend, this puppy is a remarkably beautiful rendition of Xmas pudding.

With the severe shortage of coffee, especially decent quality lots, our famous Secret Label program is at risk of running out of future options and it's going to be tough from next month to keep up the same level of excitement.

So indulge in December's amazing coffee whilst the good times last.

Gift Certificates

Stuck for ideas on what to give a beloved coffee enthusiast for Xmas ?

How about a mycuppa Gift Certificate -  issued as a secure, unique electronic code with secret keys that never expire, gift certificates are a great idea to reward a colleague, friend or family member used in either part or full towards any purchase in the checkout, just like any other payment method.

You can even schedule the Gift Certificate email to be sent at a specific date and time to coincide with an event, e.g. Xmas morning, etc. and include a personalized message.

On behalf of the mycuppa team, thanks for your support and loyalty throughout the year and we wish you a joyous festive season.


 

sneaky coffee

December 2021 Secret Label

This month sees a return of our favorite origins - both having been in short supply since March.

True to form, we have paired coffees with unique characteristics to generate something a little different to the everyday.

A complex cup with mixed fruit, nuts, toffee, caramel and chocolate.

Some coffee companies release a special Xmas blend each year and whilst December's Secret Label was never intended to be that type of coffee, there's certainly something sweet, juicy and Xmas pudding about this blend.

Often fruit and nuts don't play together so well in coffees, but this blend has a delicious fusion with sweet fruit layers on top of a rich nutty and chocolate foundation.

The finish is long, deep and rewarding.

Juicy red and blue fruits, hint of clove, hazelnut, almond, caramel, toffee and milk chocolate.

Grab it here - Sold Out !!. Click here for our latest coffee beans on sale

 

 

rising prices

A seismic power shift - are coffee farmers flexing their muscles ?

Along with the rest of the coffee industry, we had also seriously underestimated the continued surge in green coffee prices and it's left the entire coffee roasting fraternity exposed literally with our pants around our ankles.

What started as a bullish run back in February has kept on moving upwards with no signs of a retreat or stabilizing.

Back in August, we though the impact was around $2.40 per kilo, but that's been well and truly blown out of the water during November's big price surge peaking around +$5/kilo on top of where we started the year.

Rising coffee pricing have already impacted the retail side with an average of $4/kg increases, but that's not going to be enough to cover the most recent rally with a $2/kg shortfall and 2022 forecasts of even higher differentials.

At mycuppa we have always tried to buffer coffee market volatility to keep our prices ultra competitive, but it seems there is no escape from a rapidly rising tide and we are currently under water on our portfolio.

Read our blog on how the tables have turned and coffee farmers are enjoying their once in a generation "gold rush" - Coffee prices keep rising

 

 

funny pic

 

Is it really on sale ?


Is the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales event really a genuine opportunity to save or is it just clogging up the freight networks at the worst possible time of the year with run-out or superseded models.

One large online retailer was caught pumping up the RRP of 600+ items just before a mid-year sales promotion - why is this not a surprise ?.

Choice magazine recently revealed their results of tracking the price of 4 espresso machines and the results showed that the best deals were not on the hyped up Black Friday/Cyber Monday event.

Read our observations on the recent Black Friday/Cyber Monday event - BFCM Sales events - is it working?