Coffee is the second most consumed beverage in the world. It can be found in a variety of flavors and has many health benefits, from relieving anxiety to reducing the risk of heart disease. However, what many consumers don’t know is that there is a type of coffee that comes from animal poop.

Animal poop coffee is made from beans that have been partially digested by the digestive system of an animal, such as a monkey, elephant, or civet cat. The process of digestion changes the flavor and quality of the beans, which makes it one of the most expensive varieties of coffee.

Brewing Gold: The Unique Allure of Coffee Crafted from Animal Poop

Kopi luwak is the most well-known of these animal poop coffees. This exotic brew is made from coffee cherries that have been eaten and excreted by the Asian palm civet cat, which is related to the weasel and native to Southeast Asia. The civet’s digestive system breaks down the beans and ferments them, which gives them a smooth, sweet taste that’s less bitter than regular coffee.

The popularity of kopi luwak has led to an increase in the number of civets being caught and held captive to make this coffee. Unscrupulous growers often use bamboo sticks topped with pineapple, which lure the civets in, and then snare them with metal “walls of death” that snap around their ankles, sometimes severing their feet. The civets held in captivity are also not able to select the best coffee cherries to eat, which degrades the final product and can be very painful for the animals.