Black Friday Deals: Beware Counterfeit Panama Geisha Coffee Beans

This Black Friday and Cyber Monday will once again see specialist coffee retailers worldwide going nuts with their own unique deals and discounts. One of the most popular Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday deals each year is the temporary reduction in the cost of gourmet coffee like Panama Geisha coffee beans.

For some, and for obvious reasons, the season brings the perfect opportunity to indulge in something that would normally be side-lined. There’s no denying the elevated costs of Panama Geisha coffee beans, nor the appeal of a one-time-only Black Friday discount.

Unfortunately, not all gourmet coffee products are all they appear to be. Where there’s a will to make a quick buck at the expense of unwitting shoppers, there’s a way to make it happen.

Long story short – don’t be caught out by fakes when shopping for Panama Geisha coffee beans on Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

A Surprisingly Prevalent Practice

The whole thing is not quite as surprising as it may appear at first, given just how prestigious and sought-after Geisha coffee is. Often selling for more than $50 a cup in some parts of the world, it’s hardly shocking to learn that some go to extreme lengths to exploit its desirability.

Thankfully, plucking the genuine Black Friday / Cyber Monday deals from the obvious fakes is not particularly difficult. Be mindful of the following when shopping online or elsewhere for the world’s best coffee beans:

• Price. Even the best Black Friday deals are not going to make Panama Geisha coffee beans (also known as Gesha coffee) a bargain buy. You can therefore rest assured that if the price appears too good to be true, it most probably is. Be extremely sceptical of any Geisha coffee that’s suspiciously cheap.
• Blended Beans. Not the end of the world necessarily, but Geisha blends really aren’t Geisha coffee. Quality and ratios vary significantly, but some use the Geisha label to boost the appeal of products that actually contain no more than around 10% Geisha coffee. They can still be decent coffees, but they’re not the real thing.
• Seller Rating. It’s also worth checking the rating and reputation of the seller, before placing your order for any premium coffee commodity. The last thing you want is to spend a small fortune, only to be send a bag of dud beans in the post.
• Origins. All genuine Gesha coffee beans can be traced all the way back to the farms they were grown on. It’s only produced in a comparatively tiny corner of the country – coffee made anywhere else is not Panama Geisha coffee. Therefore, authenticity can be assessed by considering the origins of the beans in the bag.

On a slightly more positive note, the majority of gourmet coffee that pop up in the Black Friday / Cyber Monday deals are the real thing. It’s therefore simply a case of keeping your eyes open for the occasional bad apple in the bunch, which can be avoided entirely by shopping with an established retailer you can trust!

And in case you don’t feel like waiting until the next Black Friday / Cyber Monday, you can order Geisha coffee from Hayman’s online store. At our specialty coffee store, the best Panama Geisha coffee is available for you as unroasted coffee beans / raw coffee beans (for home roasting), roasted whole bean coffee, roasted ground coffee, and Nespresso®* compatible pods. Click here to order today, we offer free worldwide shipping! 

* Nespresso® is a registered trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., unrelated to Hayman ®. Our espresso pods are not created or sold by Nespresso®.