A coffee from a coffee shop definitely should be $4 if you want them to ethically source good coffee and have a sustainable business model.
There’s still cheap, shitty coffee that’s built on modern slavery there’s always like mcdo. SB is the same quality ingredients but with knowing how to steam milk + syrups
Context: I’m european. I know for sure the people at my local coffee shops are being paid a living wage, cause there’s laws for that.
Paying your employees a living wage is included in what I see as “a sustainable business model”.
I know the owner of my local coffee shop personally and while they charge €4 or more depending on the coffee you’re getting AND they roast their own coffee, so they cut down on the bean costs significantly while generating some extra profits as well by selling the beans, they still aren’t “just raking it in” as you make it seem.