The article breaks down the cost of a latte from a couple of different coffee shops as the cost of the coffee and the markup to cover non-coffee costs such as labor, rent and marketing. What is lacking in this break down and is important in determining the sincerity of the concern expressed by the coffee shop owners is how much of that markup is actually to cover non-coffee expenses and how much is the profit margin. Are the coffee shop owners in question making 5% or 500% profit? The answer to that question is important in evaluating the response of the retail coffee industry to the issue and evaluating if changes to public policy are needed to address the issue.
