Think Twice Before Purchasing Coffee At The Grocery Store

Whether talking about raw or roasted coffee beans, the fact of the matter remains the same: the coffee you are buying at the grocery store may not be as fresh as you think. Once roasted, the window for peak freshness is only 3-4 weeks. The flavors slowly decay as the coffee sits on the grocery store shelf, where it is unlikely that it will be traded out for fresher beans. On top of that, misleading "best by" dates might make you think the beans are fresher than they really are — after all, all those different expiration dates and similar deadlines on packages rarely mean what you think.

Many supermarkets focus on providing fresh products like produce, meat, or dairy, but may not give the same attention to stocking the shelves with freshly roasted coffee beans. From another angle, the time it takes to move freshly roasted beans from a roaster to your cart means that it may be a week or even longer since they were prepared. While the beans are largely still fresh and flavorful at this point, remember that the window you have to enjoy them may be shorter than you realize. Looking into the right way to store your coffee beans to reduce staleness can help, but turning to local and online independent roasters may help you access the freshest brew.

For the sake of the freshness and quality of your beans, ordering your coffee online may be worth it for the increased options and convenience it represents. If you are content with the offerings available at the local grocery store, the variety of beans available online might seem overwhelming. But, with a little patience, you could be richly rewarded by a fresher, higher-quality roast and more diverse offerings. Beyond availability, delivery saves a couple of trips to the store altogether, a perk that many may consider worth a small shipping fee. 

If you still prefer an in-person experience, a quick internet search could do much to help you source nearby roasters, allowing you to snag just-roasted beans and do your bit to support a small local business. Ultimately, it all comes down to personal preference, so consider this a sign to reflect on your preferences and give your standard purchase of coffee at the grocery store a second thought.