Elephant Dung Coffee vs Cat Poop Coffee: Which Is Better?

Ever wondered whether elephant dung coffee lives up to the hype—or beats the infamous kopi luwak? With both coffees made from beans that pass through an animal’s digestive tract, it’s natural to compare the two. But when one comes from a cat-sized marsupial and the other from a 4,000-kilogram pachyderm, the differences go far beyond size.

Yes, elephant dung coffee—branded as Black Ivory—is widely considered to taste better and cost more per kilogram than kopi luwak. At $1,100 per kg, it’s among the most expensive coffees in the world. Each cup is sold for around $25. In contrast, kopi luwak typically ranges from $100–$600 per kg. But price isn’t everything: flavor and digestibility set these two apart.

What Is Elephant Dung Coffee?

Elephant dung coffee, also called Black Ivory Coffee, starts with raw coffee beans fed to elephants. After digestion, workers collect the beans from the dung, clean them, and roast them for sale. This coffee is produced at the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort in northern Thailand, where 30 rescued elephants live. The coffee is part of a luxury experience offered by the Anantara hotel group, which launched it officially in October 2012.

How Is It Made?

The production process is labor-intensive and location-specific:

• Coffee cherries are fed to elephants at the Anantara elephant camp in Thailand’s Golden Triangle.
• The beans pass through the elephants’ digestive systems and are excreted in dung.
• Elephant caretakers, or mahouts, collect the beans from the feces.
• The beans are then cleaned, dried naturally, and roasted.
• All steps occur at the resort’s on-site elephant rescue center.

Why Does It Taste Different?

According to Anantara, the unique flavor profile results from how elephant digestion affects the coffee beans:

• Elephant stomach enzymes break down proteins in the beans—proteins are a major source of bitterness in coffee.
• With less protein remaining, the resulting coffee has almost no bitterness.
• The digestion process is also said to make the beans smoother and more palatable.

The final cup is described as tasting like a mix of milk chocolate, nuts, spices, and red berries. These flavor notes are often associated with high-quality washed or lightly roasted specialty coffees—but here, they come from an unusual processing method.

How Does It Compare to Kopi Luwak?

Kopi luwak is made from coffee beans eaten and excreted by the Asian palm civet, a small cat-like animal native to Southeast Asia. While both coffees are “processed” via animal digestion, there are key differences:

Experts and tasters generally regard Black Ivory as having a more desirable and complex flavor, with less bitterness and a smoother mouthfeel. Kopi luwak, while also fermented via digestion, doesn’t benefit from the same enzymatic protein reduction and is more inconsistent in quality.

Where Can You Try It?

Black Ivory Coffee is served at luxury resorts and high-end venues, often as part of exclusive coffee tastings. It is not widely available for retail purchase due to limited production. Kopi luwak, meanwhile, can occasionally be found online or in specialty stores, though authenticity and ethics remain concerns for many buyers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is elephant dung coffee?

Elephant dung coffee, branded as Black Ivory Coffee, is made from coffee beans eaten by elephants and expelled in their dung. The beans are collected, cleaned, and roasted. It’s produced at the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp in Thailand.

How much does elephant dung coffee cost?

Elephant dung coffee costs approximately $1,100 per kilogram. A single cup is sold for around $25. This makes it one of the most expensive coffees globally.

What does elephant dung coffee taste like?

It is described as having flavors of milk chocolate, nuts, spices, and red berries. The digestion process is said to reduce bitterness, resulting in a smooth cup.

How is it different from kopi luwak?

Kopi luwak is made from beans eaten by the Asian palm civet. Elephant dung coffee uses larger animals, involves more protein breakdown, and results in less bitterness and a smoother taste. It also costs more per kilogram.

Is elephant dung coffee ethical?

The Black Ivory brand sources beans from elephants at a rescue center, implying ethical treatment. However, broader concerns exist around animal welfare in all animal-digested coffee production.

Where can you buy elephant dung coffee?

It’s mainly available at luxury resorts such as those operated by Anantara in Thailand. It’s not commonly sold through retail channels due to small production volumes.

FrontStreet Coffee Picks for Digestive Coffee Curiosities

Try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Huakui for bright red fruit and floral tones, or Kenya Little Tomato for juicy acidity and berry depth—both showcase natural processing without the digestive route. For something earthy and bold, their Yirgacheffe offers a cleaner alternative to exotic fermented profiles. All are specialty-grade, ethically sourced, and perfect for exploring how natural fermentation shapes flavor—without animal involvement. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.