PLANT-MILK BRAND COVERS “KIND-MILK UPCHARGES” AT COFFEE SHOPS / {Brand Action}
Though it certainly comes with a cost, this idea represents an opportunity for an appropriate brand to earn favor and publicity on the right side of the “vegan milk upcharge” situation. Perhaps you’ve noticed many coffee shops are upcharging for plant or “alt” milks. While at the time of this posting (09/28/23) Starbucks continues to come under fire from Peta, many local shops and other big chains do the same thing. We’re not blaming them. But while these additional expenses may be understandable if indeed a shop’s suppliers charge more for “vegan milk” than “cow milk,” it’s the signals that these upcharges send that may not be worth the monetary gain in the short term. The extra charge to consumers for milk that’s far more kind to this planet, fellow animal and human health would seem to run counter to much-needed “plant-based normalization.” However. Instead of fighting it, this idea would create a great way for a relevant brand (or group of alt-milk brands) to swoop in and essentially “subsidize” the extra expense – at their own expense – and in so doing, earn publicity and loyalty. There are many ways to go about an idea like this. A brand or group of plant-milk brands could work with a single chain such as Starbucks and get a lot more “bang for the buck.” Or they could pick a geographical area, identify all the coffee shops that currently upcharge in that locale or region, and work to subsidize these extra expenses out across a town or zone. So the consumer doesn’t have to. In return for such “angel investing,” perhaps there could/would at least be simple a cash-register sticker or brochure that explains the gesture:
WE’LL COVER THE KIND-MILK UPCHARGE
“For the foreseeable future, we at _____(brand or brand-partnership name)__ are covering the extra expense this coffee shop previously felt the need to charge for plant-based (kind) milks. We’re doing this because we believe the real cost of cow’s milk is far higher to culture, health, and the life of fellow sentient beings than what the economy currently reflects. No judgment. We’re just glad we can. Please enjoy.”
