Eateries to increase price 10-30 per cent early next year due to rising operation costs
KOTA KINABALU: Be prepared to pay more for hot and cold beverages early next year as eateries will be increasing their price for drinks.
Sabah West Coast Coffee Shop and Restaurant Association chairman Yong Chee Yun yesterday said consumers can expect to see the price for beverages increase between 10 per cent to 30 per cent.
Currently, the price of a cup of black coffee is about RM1.20 while coffee with milk costs about RM1.50. The price of course varies from shop to shop.
Yong in appealing for understanding from consumers about the price increase, explained that eatery operators had no choice but to do so because of escalating operation costs.
“The price of beverages sold in eateries here have remained relatively the same since May 2007 but the price of goods and wages of employees have not.
“Our operation costs are increasing year to year and we have not yet included other expenses such as utilities and rental,” he said.
According to Yong, in 2007 the price of sugar was RM1.55 a kilogram but in three years, it had increased to RM2.
The price of Nescafe Classic increased by 26 per cent during the same period from RM131 to RM165.25 per carton while the price for Ideal evaporated milk increased from RM112.10 to RM147.35 per carton or 31.5 per cent.
Eatery owners are also paying 10 per cent more for coffee powder compared to 2007 as the price had increased from RM70 per tin to RM77 now.
“Even the price of tea has increased from RM104.34 to RM127.10 per tin and the same goes for cooking gas, RM25 to RM27.40 per cylinder and plastic straws, RM7 to RM9 per kg,” he lamented.
In addition, the coffee or tea maker’s monthly wage was raised in 2007 from RM400 to RM650 (62.5 per cent increment), while a waiter’s monthly salary of RM300 was also increased to RM500 (67.5 per cent rise), he said.