Quick action (in Dutch): Help remove plant-based milk surcharges at Bagels&Beans

By Niels 🔸 @ 2025-07-01T10:03 (+4)

Quick action needed (in just 5 minutes!)
Help remove plant-based milk surcharges at Bagels&Beans (The Netherlands) 

(full explanation below)

Bagels&Beans charges €0.25 extra for plant-based milk alternatives while claiming they want to make coffee "accessible to everyone" – but this directly contradicts that goal. Many competitors in The Netherlands (Coffee Company, Starbucks) don't charge these surcharges.

They've mentioned having internal discussions about this policy, which means now is the perfect time to apply pressure.

Can you spare 5 minutes to send them a message?
Contact form: https://www.bagelsbeans.nl/contact/

Please reply when you've sent a message so I can track our collective impact.

Suggestion for AI prompt for those who want help writing:

Schrijf een beleefde, informele maar duidelijke klachtbrief in het Nederlands gericht aan Bagels&Beans over hun praktijk om extra geld te vragen voor plantaardige melkalternatieven in koffie.
Specificaties:
- Taal: Nederlands
- Toon: Informeel, beleefder assertief
- Lengte: 100-150 woorden
- Doelgroep: Klantenservice/management van Bagels&Beans
Belangrijke punten om te behandelen:
- Uitleggen dat de meerprijs van € 0,25 voor plantaardige melk onterecht voelt
- Noemen dat veel andere koffiezaken (Coffee Company, Starbucks) geen toeslag rekenen
- Wijzen op milieu- en duurzaamheidsargumenten
- Vragen om beleidswijziging
- Afsluiten met constructieve toon
Vermijd:
- Agressieve of confronterende taal
- Te lange uitweidingen
- Persoonlijke aanvallen op het bedrijf

The Problem

Discriminatory Pricing Structure
Bagels & Beans imposes a €0.25 surcharge on all plant-based milk alternatives, creating a financial penalty for customers making conscious choices. This pricing structure contradicts their stated commitment to making coffee “accessible to everyone.”

Market Context
Major competitors including Coffee Company and Starbucks have eliminated plant milk surcharges, demonstrating that the practice is neither necessary nor standard industry practice. This puts Bagels & Beans behind the curve on both sustainability and accessibility.

Revenue Model Incentives
As a franchise chain, Bagels & Beans receives a percentage of revenue (not profit) from each location. This creates a perverse incentive to maintain surcharges regardless of actual cost differences, as eliminating them would reduce franchisor income even if the true costs are negligible.

Cost Analysis

Retail Price Comparison (Consumer Level)

• Jumbo oat milk: €1.69 per liter
• Jumbo whole milk: €1.26 per liter
• Jumbo organic whole milk: €1.85 per liter

Per-Cup Impact Calculation
Assuming 10 cups per liter:

• Additional cost for oat milk vs. regular milk: €0.043 per cup
• Oat milk vs. organic milk (B&B’s claimed standard): oat milk is actually cheaper

True Cost Distribution
When distributing the additional cost across all customers:

• If 1 in 20 coffees uses plant milk: €0.043 ÷ 20 = €0.002 per cup based on regular milk (organic milk is expensiver than oat milk!)
• This negligible amount could easily be absorbed without affecting accessibility

Company Response Analysis

Standard Reply Pattern
Bagels & Beans has prepared a standardized response focusing on:

• “Relatively low coffee prices” compared to other formulas
• Choice to remain “accessible” while charging for alternatives
• Emphasis on organic/local sourcing for dairy
• Mention of other vegan options without surcharges

Counter-Arguments

• Their accessibility claim is undermined by the surcharge itself
• Cost justification doesn’t hold up to mathematical analysis
• Competitor analysis shows surcharges aren’t necessary for profitability
• Revenue-based franchise model creates misaligned incentives

More information at my website.