A specialty coffee roaster in St. Louis, Missouri, has begun returning funds to its customers following the reversal of controversial US import tariffs. Blueprint Coffee is distributing the value of government refunds it received for tariffs on green coffee that were imposed in 2025 and later deemed unconstitutional.
The tariffs, which took effect in August 2025, increased the cost of green coffee for US importers and roasters. Many businesses, including Blueprint, passed this cost on to consumers through price increases. The policy was adjusted in November 2025 when green coffee was made exempt, and a February 2026 Supreme Court ruling mandated that the government refund the collected duties.
In response, the roaster has implemented a system to return the funds to those who ultimately bore the cost. According to company representatives, the decision was based on a belief that it was the most ethical course of action. The company is using tiered coupons for its retail cafe customers, based on their spending history, and percentage-based discounts for its wholesale and online partners to reflect the impact of the initial price hikes.