[russianbandit]

And yet coffee shops that claim to be organic, eco conscious and fair trade still penalize you for opting for a milk alternative (by charging extra, like up to $1).

[FalconSensei]

The milk alternatives that can achieve the same foaminess can cost 2x the price of regular milk, so I guess it makes sense

[prideout]

Which milk alternatives can achieve the same foaminess?

[Workaccount2]

As a badly lactose intolerant person, I get that oatmilk is 2x the cost. But please, you are putting in 15 cents of oatmilk, and charging 0.75 to 1.00 extra for it.

A small cup of black coffee with oatmilk for $3.50. Please.

[t3rabytes]

The markup makes sense for lattes -- 12 ounces of whole milk may be $.36 at retail milk prices, but 12oz of oat milk is closer to $1.50 (see my other comment for the price comparison).

[t3rabytes]

There's still a rather significant cost difference between the two. In my local market, a one gallon container of whole milk is $3.89 retail, while the barista-blend of Califa Oat Milk is $4.39 for a one quart container (or $4.99 for a half gal of Oatly).

[Mikeb85]

Because it costs them more.

The fact that it's more ecological to produce doesn't translate to lower prices for many reasons.

[goodpoint]

How much milk goes in a coffee cup? 5c more at industrial price.

[mikepurvis]

Not really super surprising— the volumes are way lower and there's less subsidizing going on. On a grocery store shelf here in Ontario, you can get 4L of 2% regular milk for $5. But the Earth's Own products, which include oat and soy milk? Those are more like $6 for a single litre.

[bipson]

As an European I am always baffled by the humongous containers you have overseas.

Here we buy litres or half, and we adore milk, mostly 3.5%. The non-diary alternatives are not even allowed to be called milk (they are now drinks).

[oh_sigh]

Beyond the cost from the supplier, perhaps because there is a greater overhead associated with supplying that milk to a minority of customers. If everyone was drinking oat milk by default I don't think there would be a $1 upcharge.

[freeone3000]

It costs more.

[honkycat]

it costs more... but only because the dairy industry is heavily subsidized.

Sure we're burning down the planet and allocating massive amounts of water to feed and maintain livestock during drought conditions.

BUT! The ranchers need their 5th house and the proles need their artificially cheap meat that is blocking their arteries.

( not a vegan just annoyed by mis-allocation of resources )

[micromacrofoot]

they'd roughly cost the same if not for dairy subsidies

[bipson]

Still absurd.

The amount of oat you have to feed a cow to get a single litre is not even close to the literal handful you need for an oat-based milk - let alone the time and how of work that went into caring for the cows, handling the mess, etc.

It should not even be close. We simply industrialized the whole diary thing, and consider it essential.

And I say this as someone who cannot live without cheese. It should just be way more expensive and reflect the cost it has on the environment/society.

[joshlemer]

This really pisses me off, even starbucks charges like a dollar for almond/oat milk.

[vinay427]

This charge was finally removed a few months ago at their UK locations, so it seems more or less inevitable in the US given that the UK is often a vegan/plant-based testbed for many US chains: https://plantbasednews.org/lifestyle/food/starbucks-ends-veg...