We’re a long way removed from a toonie getting you a cup of coffee and a newspaper. But prices keep going up. Many coffee drinkers across the country say they have noticed a big spike to the tune of nearly 30 per cent. The sharp increase in the price for a cup of joe adds up quickly, but it’s not just for the consumer. It’s also those in the coffee business. A sophisticated roasting operation runs out of Jim Clay’s Orillia home. Most of his sales are done at special events and farmers markets. But like everything, a cup of brew is just going to cost more. Jim Clay from Pivot Coffee Roastery says, “Absolutely they are going to pay more. Unfortunately, it’s just the nature of the beast. The prices are going through the roof.” Clay says the main factors behind his increased costs are climate change, the Canadian dollar, shipping costs, and of course, coffee beans. Business leaders in the coffee industry say it’s not just the cost of the beans that’s behind recent struggles. They point to things like the increased cost of cups, rent, and even employment. The owner of Beaver Rock in downtown Barrie, Dan Saso, says, “Ten years ago we could buy a pound of green beans for about three dollars. Today that same bean, same farm, same region, is over seven dollars.” He says business has just become more expensive all the way around. “You need 16 ounces, approximately, of green beans to yield 12 ounces of roasted coffee, so that’s in play too. All those factors come into play on how we price things,” says Saso. Statistics Canada says Canadians paid about 28% more for their cup of coffee at the grocery store in August compared to a year earlier. Those in the industry say they don’t see any decreases coming in the near future.
