Prices at Cama Coffee Roasters stores are to rise starting today due to a steep increase in the cost of coffee beans, company chairman Ho Ping-lin (何炳霖) said yesterday.
Prices of items on Cama’s Fresh Roasted Coffee and Classic Pour Over Coffee menus would increase by NT$5 to NT$10, while the prices on its Cold Brew Coffee menu and its Drip Bag Coffee line would be raised by NT$5, Ho said.
The price hikes reflect rising inflation worldwide and an underwhelming crop yield on coffee farms, which has resulted in an 80 percent spike in the cost of coffee beans, Cama said.
“The current plight faced by the industry is the toughest in 10 years,” Cama said in a letter on its Web site addressed to its customers.
In addition to inflation and the effects of climate change, the other main challenge in the coffee industry has been a shortage of labor due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has slowed crop harvesting and supply chains, the company said.
Cama has been dealing with cost increases since last year, when the price of its beans rose 60 percent, along with a hike in the cost of other items, such as disposable tableware, the letter said.
As a result, the company had no choice but to raise its prices in a bid to maintain its quality service to its customers, Cama said.
While the price increases take effect today, Cama said that it was launching a special promotion for its members that runs until Tuesday.
During the four-day promotion, Cama members can obtain digital vouchers for a 12 percent discount on large cups of Americano, latte and flavored coffee from its Fresh Roasted Coffee menu, the company said.
Cama, a local chain known for its moderate prices and freshly brewed coffee, has 160 stores nationwide and is planning to expand to some Southeast Asian nations.
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