Spoiler: there's no monkey poop involved. "Monkey poop coffee" is a catch-all term that confuses two completely different coffees. Here's the truth.
When people say "monkey poop coffee," they're usually thinking of one of two very different things. Click to find out which one you're looking for.
You heard about it from the movie, a friend, or the internet. The world's most expensive coffee.
Coffee that's literally processed by monkeys. Yes, it's real — but it's not what you think.
It's not your fault. The confusion runs deep, and there are real reasons for it.
Two animal coffees, two completely different processes. Here's how they compare.
| 🐾 Kopi Luwak (Civet Coffee) | 🐒 Monkey Parchment Coffee | |
|---|---|---|
| Animal | Asian palm civet | Rhesus macaque / other monkeys |
| Process | Cherries eaten and fully digested | Cherries chewed and spat out |
| What happens | Beans pass through digestive tract; enzymes ferment and alter the bean | Saliva enzymes break down proteins on the bean's surface |
| Origin | Indonesia (Java, Sumatra, Bali), Philippines, Vietnam | India (Chikmagalur), Taiwan |
| Flavor profile | Smooth, low acidity, earthy, chocolate notes, clean finish | Sweet, citrusy, complex, with a rounded body |
| Price range | $100–$600 per lb | $300–$500 per lb |
| Rarity | Rare (wild-sourced extremely limited) | Extremely rare (tiny production) |
| Common names | Cat poop coffee, civet coffee, luwak coffee | Monkey spit coffee, monkey parchment |
Kopi luwak is the coffee most people are actually looking for when they search "monkey poop coffee." Here's how it really works — and why it's worth the price.
Asian palm civets are nocturnal, fruit-loving mammals that roam coffee plantations at night. They have an uncanny ability to select only the ripest, highest-quality coffee cherries. After eating them, the beans pass through their digestive system over 24–36 hours.
During digestion, natural enzymes break down proteins that cause bitterness, while a unique fermentation process occurs in the civet's gut. The beans emerge fundamentally transformed — smoother, less acidic, and with a complexity impossible to replicate artificially. Farmers then collect, thoroughly wash, dry, and roast the beans. Learn more about coffee fermentation →
Authentic wild kopi luwak depends on free-roaming civets choosing their own cherries. You can't scale nature. Annual production of genuine wild kopi luwak is measured in hundreds of kilograms, not tons.
Civets instinctively select the best cherries — they're nature's quality inspectors. This pre-selection, plus enzymatic processing, creates a cup you simply cannot get any other way.
Farmed kopi luwak — where civets are caged and force-fed — produces inferior coffee and raises serious ethical concerns. Always look for verified wild-sourced kopi luwak.
Kopi luwak has lower acidity than regular coffee, fewer tannins, and roughly half the caffeine — making it gentler on the stomach. Full health breakdown →
If there's a coffee that genuinely deserves the name "monkey coffee," this is it — though even here, there's no poop involved.
In the lush coffee-growing regions of Chikmagalur, India, and select areas of Taiwan, wild rhesus macaques visit coffee plantations and pick the ripest cherries. But unlike civets, monkeys don't swallow the beans. They chew on the sweet, fruity pulp surrounding the bean, then discard the seed — the coffee bean — on the ground.
During chewing, enzymes in the monkey's saliva interact with the bean's parchment layer, breaking down certain proteins and sugars. This subtle biochemical process gives the beans a distinctive sweetness and complexity once roasted.
Monkey parchment coffee is known for a notably sweet, citrusy profile with a vanilla-like roundness. The saliva enzymes create flavors distinct from any other processing method.
Production is tiny — wild monkeys process beans on their own schedule, and collection is labor-intensive. Most monkey parchment coffee never leaves India.
Note: We don't sell monkey parchment coffee. Our specialty is authentic, wild-sourced kopi luwak from the Indonesian archipelago. If civet coffee is what you're after, explore our kopi luwak here.
Short answer: absolutely. Both civet coffee and monkey parchment coffee go through rigorous processing before they ever reach your cup.
Beans are soaked and washed multiple times after collection, removing all organic residue from the exterior.
Extended drying and mechanical hulling remove the parchment layer, leaving only the clean green bean inside.
Roasting at 200°C+ (400°F+) for 12–15 minutes kills any remaining bacteria or pathogens. Nothing survives.
Kopi luwak has been consumed in Indonesia for over 200 years. There are zero documented cases of illness from properly processed animal coffee.
Want to dig deeper into the health side? Read our full guide to kopi luwak health benefits →
Kopi luwak and monkey parchment aren't the only animal coffees out there. Here's the complete family.
Asian palm civet · Indonesia
Digested · Smooth & earthy
$100–$600/lb
Rhesus macaque · India & Taiwan
Chewed & spat · Sweet & citrusy
$300–$500/lb
Elephant · Thailand
Digested · Chocolatey & floral
~$900/lb
Jacu bird · Brazil
Digested · Nutty & sweet
$200–$400/lb
100% wild-sourced, ethically collected kopi luwak from free-roaming civets in the Indonesian archipelago. The real deal — no farms, no cages, no compromises.
Shop Pure Kopi Luwak →"Monkey poop coffee" is a colloquial term most often used to describe kopi luwak (civet coffee), where beans are eaten and digested by Asian palm civets. Ironically, no monkeys — or monkey poop — are involved. There is a separate product called monkey parchment coffee, where monkeys chew coffee cherries and spit the beans out, but even that doesn't involve poop.
In common usage, yes — most people saying "monkey poop coffee" are referring to kopi luwak. However, kopi luwak is technically made by civets, not monkeys. The real "monkey coffee" is monkey parchment coffee, a separate and much rarer product from India and Taiwan.
Both coffees are very real. Kopi luwak has been produced in Indonesia for centuries and is well-documented. Monkey parchment coffee is a more recent discovery but is commercially available (in very limited quantities) from specialty producers in India.
Kopi luwak: Wild civets eat ripe coffee cherries. The beans ferment in their digestive tract for 24–36 hours, then are excreted, collected, washed, dried, and roasted. Monkey parchment: Monkeys chew the fruit off coffee cherries and spit out the beans. The chewed beans are collected, washed, and processed normally.
Absolutely. Both types go through extensive washing, drying, hulling, and roasting. Roasting at temperatures above 200°C (400°F) kills any bacteria or pathogens. Kopi luwak has been safely consumed for over 200 years.
Authentic kopi luwak ranges from $100 to $600 per pound depending on sourcing (wild vs. farmed) and quality. Monkey parchment coffee runs $300 to $500 per pound. Both are among the most expensive coffees in the world due to extremely limited supply.
For authentic kopi luwak (the coffee most people mean), you can purchase wild-sourced kopi luwak here. We specialize in 100% wild-sourced civet coffee from Indonesia. Monkey parchment coffee is available from select specialty roasters in India, though supply is extremely limited.
Experience the world's most exclusive coffee. Wild-sourced, ethically collected, extraordinary in every cup.
Discover Pure Kopi Luwak →