It was only a matter of time before Canada’s coffee chains began adjusting prices. Tim Hortons was first out of the gate, announcing a price hike of roughly three cents per cup on average — a modest but symbolically significant increase. In an increasingly cashless economy, where digital payments obscure price sensitivity, such adjustments are less likely to trigger consumer backlash. Still, this marks a new chapter in the economics of coffee, where perception and psychology play as much a role as the price of beans.

Despite common belief, the cost of coffee beans represents less than 10% of what consumers pay for a cup at their local café. The remainder is absorbed by labour, rent, equipment, and energy — costs that have risen sharply in recent years. This means that even if global coffe

See Full Page