Black Ivory vs Kopi Luwak: Which Exotic Coffee Is Best?

When coffee lovers hear about beans that pass through an animal’s digestive system, their first thought might be kopi luwak — the famed (and controversial) civet coffee from Indonesia. But there’s another, even rarer option that’s been turning heads in luxury hotels: Black Ivory Coffee, made from beans eaten and excreted by elephants in Thailand. If you’ve wondered which of these animal-processed coffees is truly worth the hype — or the price tag — here’s what sets them apart.

In short: Black Ivory Coffee, made from Thai elephant-digested beans, costs around $25 per cup or $1,100 per kilogram — more than double the price of Kopi Luwak. It’s also richer in flavor complexity, smoother on the palate, and lacks the bitterness typical of regular coffee due to unique digestive enzymes. Only 2.2 pounds of usable beans result from 72 pounds fed to the elephants, adding to its exclusivity.

What Is Black Ivory Coffee?

Black Ivory Coffee, also known as elephant poop coffee, is produced at the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation in Thailand. Founded in March 2012 by Canadian entrepreneur Blake Dinkin, the brand works with around 30 elephants in northern Thailand near the Golden Triangle. These elephants are fed high-quality Arabica coffee cherries grown at around 1,500 meters altitude. The beans are digested and later excreted, then collected, cleaned, dried, and roasted to create a very limited batch of coffee.

The company produces and distributes the beans directly, and due to the small yield and labor-intensive process, the coffee is extremely rare. It is sold only in select five-star hotels, making it one of the most exclusive coffees in the world.

How Is Black Ivory Coffee Made?

The creation of Black Ivory Coffee starts with feeding elephants Arabica coffee cherries cultivated at high elevation in northern Thailand. The coffee cherries pass through the elephant’s digestive system over a period of 15 to 30 hours. During this time, the beans interact with other plant matter such as bananas and sugarcane — staples in the elephants’ vegetarian diet.

Inside the elephant’s stomach, natural enzymes break down proteins in the coffee beans — the same proteins that typically cause bitterness in brewed coffee. The slow digestion, combined with fermentation from the other consumed vegetation, alters the flavor profile of the beans before they are excreted. After collection, the beans are carefully picked from the dung, washed, sun-dried, and roasted to produce the final product.

Why Does It Taste Different?

What emerges from this unusual process is a coffee with markedly reduced bitterness. The digestive enzymes in the elephant’s stomach neutralize much of the protein in the beans — a key contributor to harsh, bitter flavors in normal coffee. As a result, Black Ivory Coffee has a smooth mouthfeel and complex flavor notes that include milk chocolate, nuts, and fruit.

The extended fermentation period inside the elephant’s stomach, aided by the presence of other fibrous foods, also contributes unique earthy and fruity undertones. Unlike many exotic coffees, Black Ivory is celebrated for being free of the off-notes sometimes associated with digestive processing.

Black Ivory Coffee vs Kopi Luwak: What’s the Difference?

Both Black Ivory Coffee and Kopi Luwak are produced via animal digestion — but with key differences in process, yield, and flavor. Kopi Luwak comes from coffee beans eaten and excreted by civets (small mammals native to Southeast Asia), while Black Ivory uses elephants. Elephants are herbivores with a diet rich in fibrous fruits, which affects the fermentation environment inside their digestive tract.

Black Ivory Coffee requires 72 pounds of coffee cherries to produce just 2.2 pounds of usable beans, compared to a higher yield for Kopi Luwak. The flavor of Black Ivory is described as smoother, with notes of milk chocolate, nuts, and fruit — and importantly, little to no bitterness. Kopi Luwak, while also low in bitterness, sometimes carries a sharper or muskier profile and has been critiqued for animal welfare concerns. In terms of price, Black Ivory Coffee is the more expensive of the two, retailing at around $1,100 per kilogram, surpassing Kopi Luwak.

How Much Does It Cost?

Black Ivory Coffee is among the most expensive coffees globally. It debuted in October 2012 at Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, where it was sold for $25 per cup. By weight, the coffee fetches approximately $1,100 per kilogram (or about 6747 RMB). This pricing reflects the rarity — only 2.2 pounds of coffee beans are produced from 72 pounds fed to the elephants — as well as the labor involved in collection and processing. In comparison, Kopi Luwak typically ranges from a few hundred to around a thousand dollars per kilogram, depending on sourcing and quality.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Black Ivory Coffee and how is it made?

Black Ivory Coffee is made from Arabica coffee beans that are eaten by elephants in northern Thailand, then fermented in their digestive system for 15–30 hours. Enzymes in the elephant’s stomach break down proteins in the beans, reducing bitterness. The beans are later excreted, collected, cleaned, dried, and roasted. The entire process is labor-intensive and results in very limited quantities of coffee.

Why does Black Ivory Coffee have no bitterness?

The natural enzymes in an elephant’s digestive system break down the proteins in coffee beans during digestion. Since proteins are the main cause of bitterness in coffee, their reduction leads to a smoother, less bitter cup. The fermentation with other plant matter in the elephant’s diet also contributes to a unique, mellow flavor.

How does Black Ivory Coffee compare to kopi luwak?

Both are made from beans processed via animal digestion, but Black Ivory uses elephants while kopi luwak uses civets. Black Ivory involves a longer digestion period, a plant-rich diet contributing to fermentation, and results in a smoother, fruitier, and less bitter coffee. It also has a lower yield and higher price, at around $1,100/kg versus kopi luwak’s usual range below that.

Where can you buy Black Ivory Coffee?

Black Ivory Coffee is available only in a limited number of five-star hotels worldwide. It is not widely sold through retail channels due to its rarity and the small quantity produced. The brand began selling through Anantara Hotels in 2012.

How many beans are produced from the elephant digestion process?

Out of 72 pounds (about 33 kilograms) of coffee cherries fed to the elephants, only 2.2 pounds (around 1 kilogram) of usable beans are recovered after digestion, cleaning, and sorting. This extremely low yield adds to the coffee’s exclusivity and cost.

What does Black Ivory Coffee taste like?

Black Ivory Coffee is known for its smooth mouthfeel and lack of bitterness. Its flavor profile includes notes of milk chocolate, nuts, and fruit, with additional earthy and fruity undertones from fermentation. It does not carry the harsh or funky notes sometimes found in other exotic coffees.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Exotic Coffee Fans

If you’re drawn to rare, delicately processed coffees like Black Ivory, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Huakui — a washed Ethiopian single origin with vibrant floral and citrus notes, bright acidity, and a tea-like body. For something sweeter and more rounded, their Yirgacheffe offers blueberry, jasmine, and soft spice. Both highlight origin character without extreme processing, making them great gateways into unique coffees. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.