Coffee in Cuba? Not Even in the Dollar Stores

[El Presidente]

 

https://havanatimes.org/features/coffee-in-cuba-not-even-in-the-dollar-stores/

Coffee in Cuba? Not Even in the Dollar Stores

 December 10, 2021

Cuban coffee has almost completely dissappeared at stores.

By Juan Diego Rodríguez 14ymedio

HAVANA TIMES — Two days before the end of the month of November, Pedro went to buy coffee at the bodega [ration store], but was very upset when they told him there was none. “No, there is no coffee now, you have to wait for it to come back in,” the clerk explained as he handed back the ration book.

The Havanan was not satisfied with the explanation, but shrugged and started looking for coffee elsewhere. Last month something similar had happened with the sugar, which he could not buy either because, they told him, “it got wet,” although he knew well that there were no leaks in that establishment and that it had not rained those days.

Pedro remembered that in the Sorpresas store, located in the Plaza Carlos III shopping center, they sell coffee in foreign currency. On one occasion he went there for an emergency and bought a couple of small packages for US $1.75, so he decided to use the magnetic card (MLC) account in which he keeps some savings in foreign currency, thanks to the remittances that his emigrated daughter sends to him.

The store window displays large packages of Cubita coffee at $14.65, a fairly high price for the retiree, but he still decides to enter the establishment. To his surprise, there is no line, a rarity in this busy center, and the saleswoman is distracted playing on her mobile phone.

“Grandpa, that coffee is in beans. We haven’t had any ground for days,” says the employee to the disappointed customer. “Now what do I do? I have nowhere to grind the beans, a machine for that nowadays is like a museum object,” Pedro laments. The young woman suggests that he go to the Gran Manzana hotel, where there is a shop dedicated to nationally produced coffee. “Let’s see if you’re lucky…”, she says when they say goodbye.

The journey continues, and Pedro, already eager to find coffee, takes a taxi to Old Havana. But when he arrives at the hotel and sees the store without lines, he fears the worst. “Sir, we don’t have coffee in any format and apparently this situation is going to last a long time,” says the worker.

Pedro, who was thinking of spending money and spending extra money to get his favorite drink, then realizes that the prospect is even worse and he will have to resort to the informal market to get imported coffee, which today is sold at exorbitant prices.

The Cuba-Café Company warned this Tuesday of delays in the arrivals of imports and in the deliveries of the businesses that process the beans, which has harmed “the retail distribution of ’mixed’ coffee* for the family basket.”

The company assured that the December coffee will be sold sometime in the month, because an improvement was already noticeable and it is hoped the problem will be solved by the 25th. But Pedro had to invest 600 pesos ($25 USD on the official exchange rate) this Wednesday for a 10-ounce (284-gram) package purchased on Revolico, while it remains to be seen if the coffee that was missing in November will be delivered to the warehouses or if Cubans without foreign currency can put their lips to a cup of Cuban coffee.

*Translator’s note: “Mixed” coffee includes non-coffee ingredients, for example ground peas.

[Corylax18]

This issue has been building for a while now, even before the pandemic. I brought down three coffee grinders during my last trip because ground coffee was becoming impossible to find in the domestic market. That was November 2019, its obviously gotten worse since. 

I don't think I've tried the famous "Mixed" coffee yet, but it sounds like that's all that will be available for a while. 

[NSXCIGAR]

Only Cuba could create a scenario where people in a country imposing an embargo on Cuba have to buy Cuban coffee and bring it back to Cuba for so the Cubans can have some. 

 

[Nino]

Next trip to the island bring coffee, sugar and cigars - socialism works just fine - just not for Cubans.....   🙂

PS : Make that rum too pretty soon.

[JohnS]

This is terrible. I can go without luxuries such as cigars and alcohol for a time, yes...but God help me if I could go on without coffee!

 

[La_Tigre]

Grind that Cubita with a muddler or mortar and pestle. Where is the Cuban spirit of solutions?

Pedro must be a millennial. 😝 

In any event, a sad state of affairs. 

[NSXCIGAR]

2 hours ago, La_Tigre said:

Grind that Cubita with a muddler or mortar and pestle. Where is the Cuban spirit of solutions?

Yes, I'm surprised they would complain about that. Any Cuban knows just getting whatever it is in your hands is 99% of the battle. 

Even I have been with beans and without grinder on occasion. I figured it out. Hammer, rock, rolling pin--whatever.

I guess we should start bringing some with us. This one's $13 at Walmart:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Copco-Compact-Manual-Coffee-Grinder-Stainless-Steel/270671902?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0

[SirVantes]

12 hours ago, La_Tigre said:

Grind that Cubita with a muddler or mortar and pestle. Where is the Cuban spirit of solutions?

In any event, a sad state of affairs. 

 

10 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

Hammer, rock, rolling pin--whatever.

Considering that traditional mill technology is effectively just 2 rocks...  It's official: Capitalism makes you so poor, you don't have 2 pennies to rub together.  Socialism makes you so poor, you don't have 2 rocks to rub together.

[SCgarman]

I could happily live without cigars and liquor. But don't ever tell me there is no coffee or chocolate!

[PigFish]

This thread is lacking input on Covid! -LOL

Carry on! -Piggy

[SCgarman]

Doesn't Cuba grow it's own coffee? Or am I missing something here? 

[Nino]

19 hours ago, SCgarman said:

Doesn't Cuba grow it's own coffee? Or am I missing something here? 

It does - and you can buy it abroad, but not in Cuba.

PS : But hurry up to buy Cuban coffee abroad as exiled Cubans are forcing Canadian supermarkets to remove Cuban coffee like Cubita from their shelves as it is exported by CIMEX the export arm of GAESA, the military holding ...

 

[nKostyan]

It is not surprising against the background of the global rise in coffee prices...

[...]

On 12/11/2021 at 9:54 AM, Nino said:

It does - and you can buy it abroad, but not in Cuba.

PS : But hurry up to buy Cuban coffee abroad as exiled Cubans are forcing Canadian supermarkets to remove Cuban coffee like Cubita from their shelves as it is exported by CIMEX the export arm of GAESA, the military holding ...

 

Was wondering why I hadn’t been able to find Cubita on the shelf in the past few weeks… oh well

[Bijan]

On 12/11/2021 at 9:54 AM, Nino said:

PS : But hurry up to buy Cuban coffee abroad as exiled Cubans are forcing Canadian supermarkets to remove Cuban coffee like Cubita from their shelves as it is exported by CIMEX the export arm of GAESA, the military holding ...

As opposed to the rest of Cuban exports that are by the strong Cuban private sector? 

[Nino]

 

8 hours ago, Bijan said:

As opposed to the rest of Cuban exports that are by the strong Cuban private sector? 

Our man in Havana Toby, just posted this picture of a Tiendas Caribe state store in Matanzas selling in CUP a "basic needs combo" for 185 CUP.... oil, detergent, soap, toothpaste and deodorant.