On Oct. 5, Tim Hortons announced that there will be a slight increase in their coffee prices at approximately 1.5 per cent or the equivalent of three cents per cup. The brand hasn’t changed its coffee prices in three years, but factors such as Canada’s consistent food inflation issues, and the hiked prices of coffee beans that are over double the amount in 2022 have all contributed to this change.
According to the National Post, Tim Hortons said in an official statement that this increase was a logical step, and it still fell under the average national inflation rate. In a Global News report, a Tim Hortons spokesperson added that the company doesn’t base its decisions on isolated issues that may affect pricing.
“Our approach to pricing in our restaurants does not reflect any single event, but rather is designed to stay roughly in line with inflation over time.”
The company also stated that they don’t plan to be completely coerced by inflation, and will strive to keep the value of their food and drinks at low prices for customers in the future, but did not explicitly specify how at this time.
The price of coffee in grocery stores experienced an inflation rate of 27.9 per cent this August compared to last year. The change in price is partly due to climate change, with a warmer climate producing smaller yields in coffee-growing regions around the world. Three years ago, consumers were only paying $2.21 CDN per pound of coffee, which has now increased to $5.45 per pound.
Additionally, supply complications with the application of U.S tariffs haven’t helped. Major suppliers of Canadian coffee include Brazil, Vietnam, and Colombia, to name a few, but Canada’s roasted coffee is imported from the U.S. With 50 per cent tariffs put on Brazil specifically, it means that Canadians are paying 1.9 per cent more since 2025. Overall, Canadians have had to pay the “counter-tariff,” an extra 25 per cent on imported coffee to Canada since Mar. 3.
Brands like Folgers and Keurig increased their prices of roasted or ground coffee, meaning that brewing it at home and purchasing it at a cafe are making drinking coffee a more expensive habit.
Food agriculture Professor at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Michael von Massow, told CBC News that coffee consumers will notice the change, but it likely won’t stop them from drinking it.
2.7 cups of coffee per person are consumed daily, and Canada remains on the list of top 10 countries for drinking the most coffee. However, this price increase may deter consumption slightly because coffee is more than a drink; it’s a part of a food culture, especially for the younger generation.
Veronica is a Staff Writer at The Cascade. She loves to travel and explore new places, no matter how big or small. She is in her second year at UFV, pursuing the study of Creative
Writing.