Starbucks Japan to raise coffee prices

Tuesday 08th July, 07:27 AM JST

TOKYO —

Starbucks Coffee Japan Ltd said Monday that it will raise the prices of some 20 coffee beverages and five coffee bean products on July 16. The drink prices will be raised by 10 to 30 yen, the second hike in about one year and a half, while the coffee bean prices will go up by 100 yen for a 250-gram pack in the first price increase in about six years.

The price of a small caffe latte, for example, will go up from 310 yen to 320 yen.

The move reflects a rise in the prices of such ingredients as milk, as well as skyrocketing crude oil prices that have led to a surge in transportation costs, Starbucks Coffee Japan officials said.

Meanwhile, the company has not been affected by fluctuations in international market prices of coffee beans because it buys coffee beans directly from contracted farmers, the officials said.

JCN

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Latest 15 of 40 Total Comments Show All

wilbur at 01:01 PM JST - 8th July

instant coffee is just as good
DenshaDeGO at 01:59 PM JST - 8th July

I'm glad I don't drink coffee. I've got better things to drink that bitter brown water ... for ¥400.
Sarge at 02:38 PM JST - 8th July

"Coffee is evil"

Jeez, I'd hate to hear what you'd say about whiskey!

"instant coffee is just as good"

It is not.

"bitter brown water"

Not the coffee I drink. I put plenty of sugar and cream in there ha ha ha, and recently I discovered a dollop of coffee ice cream is great in coffee too!

"Starbucks coffee"

Good, but too expensive.
PepinGalarga at 02:45 PM JST - 8th July

Starbucks is like disney land. They sell the experience, not the product. As long as the novelty wears off, Japanese will go back to their drip (or canned!) coffee. Starbucks didn't see this coming for the last 5 years. They stuck with their system of overpriced burned out espresso and now they are paying the price.

Anyway, even Disney was able to repackage, reinvent and they are still making a killing in a tough market such as Japan, so Starbucks will have to figure out how to repackage and rebrand to survive.

i am in the coffee business so all this is good news for me hahaha.
Kameleon at 02:50 PM JST - 8th July

I go to Starbucks about three times a week, because I like the coffee - the prices though are already too high, and this is merely an excuse to hike the prices.

I will now look elsewhere, but Tulley's & Seattle's are also expensive.

Dotour's coffee is not tasty. Hmm...
tokyotom at 02:52 PM JST - 8th July

novelty, i don't think so, it has been a novelty, growing (albeit slower than before), for 20 years
keshii at 03:41 PM JST - 8th July

No one else has mentioned this, but I go to Starbucks for the atmosphere. It feels exactly the same in Japan as in America when you're inside... which makes it a perfect, safe place for me to teach English to my students. The moment they step inside a Starbucks in an English speaking country, I think they'll feel just that much more comfortable. So, for me, even the price hike is worth it.
KyouNoNippon at 03:52 PM JST - 8th July

keshii, you're getting them to buy your coffee, too, right? Admit it!
hachmike66 at 04:47 PM JST - 8th July

Starbucks is just too trendy for Japanese to give up on it. They like the cachet of carrying the cup around, or sitting in or outside one of the stores. Now if they feel that it is worth the Y600 for a simple cup of coffee, that is their choice. As for me, I long for the days of all you can drink coffee at a local coffee shop for $.75. But those days are long gone, just like affordable air tickets. But that is another topic.
tkoind2 at 05:27 PM JST - 8th July

"Starbucks is like disney land. They sell the experience, not the product"

But just about every other chain mimics Starbucks so much that it may as well be starbucks. Not to mention it is just a very corporate atmosphere anyway. And there are many much cooler cafes with better ambiance in Tokyo that are private shops.
wilbur at 06:25 PM JST - 8th July

sarge: instant coffee is perfectly acceptable if you're not really a coffee drinker
rajakumar at 01:21 AM JST - 11th July

Starbucks closing many outlets in USA, to cut costs. Higher prices can save more outlets jobs and oulets.
helloklitty at 12:08 PM JST - 12th July

Always get a small coffee. The refill is only 100 yen so you end up with more coffee than the medium. Always use the words small, medium, and large when you order at Starbucks.

Rajakumar: Starbucks closing many outlets in USA, to cut costs. Higher prices can save more outlets jobs and oulets.

To cut their losses at unprofitable brances? Higher prices can save jobs or lose them; there's no guarantee.

They are closing unprofitable stores which opened in the past two years, basically. These price rises are necessary, I agree. Inflation is everywhere these days. If the prices of things are not going up, the sizes or quantities are going down. Starbucks regulars are pretty die-hard I imagine. I'm not one of them. I've always supported the neighborhood coffee shop - even when that was Starbucks (in Queen Anne, Seattle) way back in 1989. Next up, convenience stores. All these businesses (Nova, Starbucks, 7-11, etc. ) are cannibalizing themselves.
wilbur at 05:38 PM JST - 12th July

depends what kind of stores are closing in the US...company-owned or individually owned
westurn at 05:58 AM JST - 15th July

Starbucks "Japan" sucks ! They won't let you even eat an orange now at their tables if it isn't purchased from them. This in complete contrast to the home office in the US, where you can sit down, relax, read a book and enjoy whatever you want to eat right there at one of their tables. I know, I just did it a dozen times over the past few weeks. Again, Starbucks "Japan" is a miserable experience of cat and mouse as you just try to enjoy a cup of coffee ! No thanks... I haven't been back to the one in Tokyo station for months now. I take my business elsewhere, I suggest you do too.