from seattle post intelligencer
By CRAIG HARRIS
P-I REPORTER
Starting Oct. 3, that Starbucks latte is going to cost you another nickel.
In fact, every "handcrafted" beverage is going up on average 5 cents that day as the Seattle-based coffee giant will raise prices at all of its company-operated U.S. and Canadian stores, the company told the P-I on Thursday.
The price hike amounts to nearly a 2 percent increase, said Valerie O'Neil, Starbucks spokeswoman.
The 5-cent increase on drinks is the second price increase in two years. The last one occurred in October 2004.
"It's something we regularly evaluate. At this time, we determined it was appropriate with rising energy and fuel costs," O'Neil said. "And it will allow us to invest in total pay and benefits."
Also, Starbucks will raise the price of its whole bean coffee by 50 cents a pound -- a 3.9 percent increase -- on 23 of its 27 core coffees. It's the first time the company has raised prices on its whole beans in nine years.
Bookmarks