Kopi Luwak: Capitalism, Cat Poop Coffee And How It Kills Civets

Originally Published: 9 June 2020

In today's episode of coffee capitalism, we explore one of the most expensive coffees in the world.

Selling for $600 a pound at one point, this is no drink for the commoner. But fear not peasant- unless these coffee beans grow into a magic beanstalk- they aren't worth the price.

Kopi luwak or 'cat poop coffee' as it's colloquially known, is produced by the Asian palm civet. This animal appears to resemble a mix between a cat and a mongoose but is neither; it belongs to the Viverrid family. A tortured barista, the civet pays the ultimate price for an over-priced beverage made from its poo.

Here's a bitter brew to swallow.

A PROLETERIAN DISCOVERY

It all began with the Dutch East India company- the Voldormort of the ancient muggle world- which (*spoiler alert*) already means: we are entering dark times. Welcome to 19th century Indonesia. Under Dutch colonial control, the indigenous people of Java and Sumatra were enslaved into picking coffee beans to be enjoyed by the West. But as Cruella de Colonisation goes, the Dutch colonists banned- nay forbade- the indigenous people from consuming the coffee beans which not only grew on their own land but which were the product of their own blood and sweat. With the blessings of an 1830 system introduced by the Dutch called "cultuurstelsel" (The Cultivation System), Indonesian resources were increasingly exploited by such means.

Imbued with caffeinated curiosity, the indigenous people discovered a way to circumvent this colonial deterrent when an indigenous ally entered the scene. The wild Asian civet would eat the coffee cherries, partially digest the fruit and excrete dung with coffee beans attached to it. The farmers washed this unusual concoction to separate the beans. Lo and behold! The proleterian had founded a capitalist's dream. But word spread and it spread fast, the Dutch Masters wanted the poor man's beans! Alas- short-lived was this humble start for the Hunter had come back for the Hunt- now with a different prey in sight.

A CAFFEINATED TREASURE…

Featuring in 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' in 2003 and appearing in a scene in the movie 'The Bucket List' (2007), Kopi Luwak rose in fame. The appeal just kept increasing. According to an article by One Green Planet, the enzymes inside the civet's digestive system alters "the structure of protein in the coffee beans, which lowers the acidity and makes…a smoother cup of coffee." In 'Coffee: A Global History', Jonathan Morris says the enzymes "supposedly impart a unique flavour." But are these beans really superior in taste? Not according to expert coffee tasters (2:20). Yes, those exist.

A previous claim was that "only 500kg of the beans were collected annually", which has proven to be false. This is based on the idea that wild civets only "pick and choose the choicest coffee cherries to eat" according to National Geographic. While this may be true for civets roaming free, once Kopi Luwak became commodified, wild civets were caught, caged and force-fed trays of coffee cherries. This way, the focus lay on quantity on quality.

…TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE PRODUCER

In a 2013 article for The Guardian, Tony Wild- author of 'Coffee: A Dark History' called for an end to an industry he says, he created himself. Wild regretfully writes how he was the first person to introduce (or re-introduce) the notorious beans to the west, importing "a single kilogramme" at first. He mentions how the Luwaks are nocturnal, naturally shy animals who undergo great stress from being trapped in cages and force-fed coffee cherries which leads them to "fight among themselves, gnaw off their own legs, start passing blood in their scats, and frequently die."

This caused animal rights' organisations to raise their pitchforks but traders continued to sell Kopi Luwak beans, claiming that they were sourced from wild and not caged civets. However, undercover BBC reporters in Indonesia found civets in "battery-caged conditions" with experts being "totally convinced" that "kopi luwak from caged animals ends up on the London market."

Then, an investigation by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)- a prominent animal rights organisation- revealed that in some cases civets were caged for "at least three years" before being released back into the wild. Due to their horrific living conditions inside the cage, most civets find it difficult to survive even after being released. So you would think there was a general consensus that these beans should be banished from the kingdom. Well, there was…then there wasn't.

LET'S BE ETHICAL CONSUMERS

Remember Tony Wild? He started a petition against the trading of Kopi Luwak but then in 2014 (a year after his previous article), he wrote in the Guardian that he had began developing an independent certification scheme for genuine wild sourced Kopi Luwak as there were "additional benefits in terms of habitat and biodiversity conservation." This suggested that banning the trade altogether means missing out on the potential to help- as Wild puts it-"provide a sustainable livelihood."

However, the problem of distinguishing Kopi Luwak sourced from caged civets rather than wild still remains. Certifications may be on-going but they are not effective enough to guarantee the protection of civets. Consumers should be aware of the tragic consequences their drinking habits have on these shy, voiceless creatures. For now the advice is to stop the purchase of Kopi Luwak.

If you really feel like drinking over-priced coffee, just visit your local Starbucks.