Brew shock: Your cup of cheer to get dearer as hotels hike tea, coffee rates

FOLLOWING the recent hike in milk and coffee powder prices, several hotels across Bengaluru have revised the rates of tea and the city's beloved filter coffee, increasing them by at least Rs 3-5. A cup that once cost Rs 15 is now priced at Rs 18, while in some places, prices have jumped from Rs 20 to Rs 25.

- RISHITA KHANNA @Bengaluru

Hoteliers told TNIE that they were left with no option but to raise beverage prices, as the cost of key inputs continued to surge. The price of coffee powder has seen a steep hike in less than three months, with some varieties now costing between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,000 per kg. Even commonly used brands like Arabica, which were priced at Rs 580 per kg earlier, have now shot up to Rs 730 per kg.

In addition, milk prices have gone up by Rs 4 per litre, and electricity bills have also risen sharply, adding to the overall burden on restaurants, said hotel owners.

"The price hike has been a major blow. We had been absorbing the losses for some time, especially when we were unsure whether milk prices would also go up but after the recent increase in milk rates, we were left with no choice but to shift the burden onto customers," said Swaminand Y from IDC.