Civet coffee is made from coffee beans that have been eaten and excreted by the Asian palm civet, a small mammal native to the forests of Southeast Asia.
The fermentation process in the civet's digestive system is said to alter the beans' flavour profile.
Due to the labour-intensive process of collecting and cleaning the excreted beans, as well as the rarity of the civet's diet preferences, civet coffee is produced in relatively small quantities.
There have been ethical concerns surrounding the production of civet coffee. In some cases, civets are kept in captivity and fed coffee cherries solely for the purpose of producing this expensive coffee.
Despite its unique production process, civet coffee is generally considered safe to consume after thorough cleaning and roasting. However, some health experts caution improper handling could potentially pose health risks.
Some producers are adopting more ethical methods such as allowing civets to roam freely in their natural habitats and collecting the beans from the wild rather than confining them in cages.