Why Elephant Dung Coffee Costs More Than Kopi Luwak

If you’ve ever wondered what makes some coffees cost hundreds—or even thousands—of dollars per kilogram, the answer isn’t always rarity or branding. Sometimes, it’s the bizarre path the beans take before reaching your cup. In Thailand, a coffee exists that’s processed not through machines or even animals like civets, but through elephants. And yes, it’s as strange as it sounds.

The answer to why elephant dung coffee costs more than kopi luwak is simple: production cost and scarcity. Known as 'Black Ivory,' this coffee sells for $1,100 per kilogram, or roughly $50 per brewed cup—more than double the price of traditional kopi luwak. Each batch requires careful feeding, hand-harvesting, and natural digestion by elephants in northern Thailand.

What Is Elephant Dung Coffee?

Elephant dung coffee, marketed under the brand name 'Black Ivory,' is made from Arabica coffee beans that have been eaten and excreted by elephants. Unlike regular coffee, these beans undergo a unique digestive process inside the elephant’s stomach, which alters their chemical composition and flavor profile. The result is said to be a smooth cup with earthy and fruity undertones. The beans are later collected from the elephant dung, cleaned, roasted, and sold as a luxury coffee product.

How Elephant Digestion Changes Coffee Flavor

The key to Black Ivory’s distinct taste lies in the elephant’s digestive system. According to its Canadian creator, businessman Blake Dinkin—who has invested $300,000 in the project—the stomach acids and enzymes in an elephant’s gut break down proteins in the coffee beans. Since bitterness in coffee is largely tied to those proteins, their breakdown results in a smoother, less bitter cup. This process is similar to that of kopi luwak (civet coffee), but with a key difference: elephants have larger stomachs and longer digestive tracts, which allows for more thorough protein degradation and flavor development.

How Black Ivory Coffee Is Made

Making Black Ivory coffee is an intricate, labor-intensive process:

• Blake Dinkin sources high-quality Arabica coffee beans, specifically handpicked by local hill tribe women in northern Thailand.
• These beans are then mixed with the elephants’ regular vegetarian diet—such as bananas and sugarcane—to encourage consumption and impart additional flavor notes.
• After the elephants eat the beans, they pass through their digestive systems naturally. Workers then collect the beans from the dung, clean them meticulously, and prepare them for roasting.
• The final roasted beans are sold either whole or brewed as a premium-priced cup of coffee.

The entire procedure, from feeding to collection to cleaning, contributes to the coffee’s high price and limited availability. The image of the beans’ unique journey can be imagined here:

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Black Ivory coffee?

Black Ivory is a brand of coffee made from Arabica beans that have been consumed and excreted by elephants in northern Thailand. The digestive process alters the beans’ flavor, resulting in a smooth, earthy, and fruity cup. It is also known as 'elephant dung coffee.'

How much does Black Ivory coffee cost?

Black Ivory coffee costs $1,100 per kilogram, making it significantly more expensive than traditional kopi luwak, which typically sells for around $500 per kilogram. A single cup can cost about $50.

Why is elephant dung coffee more expensive than kopi luwak?

Elephant dung coffee is more expensive due to the higher cost of production, the need for manual labor in harvesting beans from elephant dung, the use of handpicked Arabica beans, and the overall rarity of the product. Each step, from feeding to collection, is more complex and resource-intensive.

How does elephant digestion affect coffee flavor?

Elephant digestion breaks down proteins in the coffee beans through stomach acids and enzymes. Since coffee bitterness is largely due to these proteins, their breakdown leads to a smoother, less bitter, and more mellow flavor with earthy and fruity notes.

Where is Black Ivory coffee produced?

Black Ivory coffee is produced in northern Thailand, where local hill tribe women handpick the Arabica beans, which are then fed to elephants. The beans are collected from the dung, cleaned, and roasted locally before being sold internationally.

Is elephant dung coffee safe to drink?

Yes, elephant dung coffee is safe to drink. The beans are thoroughly cleaned after being collected from the dung to remove any impurities before roasting and brewing. The process is hygienic despite the unusual origin.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Exotic Coffee Lovers

For coffee adventurers intrigued by unique processing methods, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Huakui—bright and floral with citrus and jasmine notes—or Yirgacheffe, offering lemon, berry, and stone fruit brightness. Both showcase natural processing complexity, much like Black Ivory’s unconventional route. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.