What’s brewing? 10-15% rise in price of your cup of coffee

Bengaluru: Sipping that cuppa of coffee at your favourite eatery may not be all that pleasant with hoteliers in Bengaluru deciding to increase coffee prices by 10-15% with immediate effect. Citing skyrocketing prices of coffee powder over the past couple of months, the hoteliers have collectively decided to revise the beverage price. After the revision, a cup of coffee will cost you anywhere between Rs 20 and Rs 25, depending on the existing price. Even though there is no change in tea prices, the hoteliers revealed that the cost of tea will also go up in the coming days if the govt hikes the price of milk.The hoteliers, who know Bengalureans love for ‘filter coffee', are worried about the sharp increase in coffee powder prices. With no signs of the rising coffee prices abating and struggling to tide over the losses due to recent revisions in milk prices and other essential commodities, the Bruhat Bangalore Hoteliers Association (BBHA) has instructed all its member-establishments to decide on hiking the coffee prices.PC Rao, president of BBHA, told TOI that a few hotels have already revised the prices of coffee, and a few others are likely to revise it from next week. "BBHA held onto the revision of prices despite hikes in milk prices and other essential commodities in the past, keeping in mind the burden on citizens. However, the sharp increase in prices of coffee powder over the last couple of months forced us to rethink and revise the cost of coffee at all hotels. Since Jan, the cost of one kilogram of coffee powder has gone up by Rs 200, and it is set to increase further. Hence, the association has advised all the member-hotels to hike the cost of coffee by 10-15%, depending on their current selling price," Rao said.THE MILK PRICE EFFECTWhile the average cost of coffee in a standard hotel would be Rs 20 per cup, a few hotels sell it for anywhere between Rs 10 and Rs 15. "The costs vary according to the quantity. While a mini cup of coffee may cost Rs 10, a regular cup of coffee will cost you Rs 20. Depending on the current selling price of coffee, the prices may go up by Rs 3 to Rs 5 in all hotels. Though we have not decided on revising tea prices as there is no change in tea powder cost, there have been rumours that the state govt is likely to increase the cost of the Nandini milk. If the govt goes ahead with the proposal, we may have to increase the price of tea on par with the coffee prices," Rao added.ON A HIGHSources said most hotels use the powder from robusta variety of coffee beans, whose prices have gone up from Rs 200 to Rs 250 per kilogram to a whopping Rs 500 to Rs 530 per kilogram during Jan-Feb 2025. Similarly, the cost of arabica beans powder has also increased from Rs 300 to Rs 350 to a staggering Rs 700 to Rs 750 per kilogram. Of the 400-500 coffee bean roasters in Karnataka, about 50% are based out of Bengaluru and supply coffee powder in bulk to hotels and restaurants in the city, according to sources.
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