Coffee prices ease in May as the supply outlook improves

The ICO Composite Indicator Price, the coffee industry’s main reference price, averaged 256.05 US cents per pound in May 2026, down 3.8 percent on April. The move continued a softening trend the market has run through the first half of the year, driven by an improved global supply outlook and a reaffirmed record production outlook for Brazil in the 2026/27 crop year.

The four market groups moved together on the month. Colombian Milds averaged 323.45 US cents per pound, Other Milds 315.42, and Brazilian Naturals 293.73, each down between three and six percent. Robustas were the exception, edging up 1.1 percent to 166.51, holding the relative firmness in robusta that has marked recent trade.

For a buyer, the headline number matters less than the direction and the spread. The arabica groups have given back more than robusta, which narrows the gap that a blended espresso lot has to bridge, and the softer market widens the window to contract forward against a specific origin. The live snapshot on the desk tracks the monthly indicator as the ICO publishes it. For the full picture, see the coffee price data page.

The ICO publishes its indicator monthly, with each month’s figure released partway through the following month, so May is the latest reading available at the time of writing.