A herd of 20 Thai elephants is excreting some of the world’s most expensive coffee.
Trumpeted as earthy in flavor and smooth on the palate, the exotic new Black Ivory Coffee sells for $500 per pound and is made from beans eaten by Thai elephants and plucked a day later from their dung.
“When an elephant eats coffee, its stomach acid breaks down the protein found in coffee, which is a key factor in bitterness,” said Blake Dinkin, who has spent $300,000 developing the product.