Coffee is considered a soft commodity. A commodity is an economic good or service (primarily a raw material or agricultural product) that has value. It can be bought and sold. Other soft commodities besides coffee are cotton, orange juice, sugar, cocoa, and lumber.
Coffee is an important staple as it creates a lot of other jobs, from growers, roasters, packers, marketers, equipment manufacturers, retail establishments. This commodity is very sensitive to climates, so that has a significant role in the worth.