Juice bar owner hits back after fitness guru complained about paying $1.50 extra for simple change to coffee order

A juice bar owner has defended companies charging more for almond milk coffee after a social media influencer blasted the extra charge.

Brisbane podcaster and fitness instructor Phoebe Parsons posted on TikTok on Tuesday asking why her cappuccino with the milk alternative cost an extra $1.50.

‘I know almond milk costs a little more than dairy milk. But does it cost so much to warrant a full $1.50 increase?” she said.

“And that’s not just almond milk, that’s soy milk, that’s oat milk, that’s all milk alternatives.”

Melonhead owner John Kanaanin defended the extra costs, even though he keeps his prices the same at his Coogee location in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

He explained that it cost bosses ‘almost double the price’ to buy the milk alternative.

“So it’s about $2.50 to $3.50 for two liters of whole milk or skim milk, and $4 to $4.50 for a one liter almond, soy, oat or macadamia alternative,” he shared. Yahoo.

Mr. Kanaanin said that because he sells more smoothies than coffee, he charges $1 extra for plant-based milk and uses 10 to 15 boxes a day.

The juice bar owner also said that a one-liter carton of almond milk would yield about four to five regular-sized coffees.

But a 700ml smoothie requires a lot more milk, which is why he charges the extra $1.

“We don’t charge extra for those alternatives in coffee because we don’t sell a lot of coffee,” he said.

‘I think it is also an extra incentive for people to come to us in the winter.’

Mr Kanaanin said cafes are being forced to make tough decisions about charging customers extra due to inflation, skyrocketing rents and wage increases.

The fitness instructor also said that soy milk is “nowhere” as expensive as nut-based milk, and asked why soy was included in the price increase (stock image)

Melonhead juice bar (pictured) is not the cafe where the influencer got her coffee, but owner John Kanaanin has defended businesses from charging the extra fee as inflation has made it harder for cafes to survive. Melonhead does not charge extra for milk alternatives in coffee

Aussies agreed with Ms Parsons, saying the extra $1.50 for milk alternatives was too much.

“$1.50 is extreme, 50 to 80 cents is fairer,” one person wrote.

‘Years ago, when alternative milk was not yet so popular, I understood the extra. But these days, with the cost of dairy and more alternative milk options, I really wonder if it makes a difference at all,” wrote another.

‘The costs of cow’s milk are also included in the coffee. Like they’re adding the cost on top of the cow’s milk so they’re charging like $2.50 for the alternative milk,” said another.

Others defended cafes for adding the extra fee.

“Alternative milk costs about double that of cow’s milk, plus the interruption of coffee machine power by constantly switching between seven different milks, which adds up to a lot of extra time spent on staff wages,” one person wrote.

“I work in food distribution, alternative milks are doubled the price of dairy so we can sell them,” said another.

‘Unfortunately, until these charges come down, pubs will continue to be charged.’