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Got(oat) milk? Neighbourhood café can’t give it away for free, but they can be transparent about the costs

Published: 31 January 2025

At Café Origine on Sherbrooke Street, oat milk costs extra—and there’s a reason for that. Non-dairy milk substitutes like oat milk cost more than cow’s milk does. Some large chains like Starbucks have stopped charging extra for milk substitutes, but independent cafes can struggle to absorb the costs. “A local café doesn’t have the sales volume,” says Vivek Astvansh, Associate Professor of Quantitative Marketing and Analytics. “If I’m running a neighbourhood café, and customers ask for almond milk and it costs extra, I need to charge extra.” A neighbourhood café shouldn’t feel compelled to follow larger chains, Astvansh tells the Montreal Gazette, but they should be transparent with their customers.

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