Happy Goat Coffee raising menu prices in response to minimum wage hike

By Natalie Pressman

The owner of an independent Ottawa coffee business is showing support for the Ontario minimum wage hike by raising menu prices to cover the higher cost — not cutting benefits and paid breaks like some franchises in the Tim Hortons chain.

Henry Assad, owner of Happy Goat Coffee, said his employees are like family and that it’s important they know he will do whatever it takes to keep treating them as such.

“Employees are the most important asset in the business and if you don’t take care of your most important asset, there’s a problem,” said Assad, who recently announced plans to take over the space vacated by Starbucks at Elgin and Lewis streets and open the company’s third shop.

Happy Goat coffee is also served at numerous locations throughout downtown Ottawa.

The company caused a buzz on social media when it released a statement explaining its decision to raise prices to continue treating employees fairly through the minimum-wage transition.

“Our employees should know that we are publicly saying we’re behind you, we support you and we’ll do whatever it takes to help and provide better living standards for our employees,” said Assad.

With hundreds of online comments, shares, and likes across various platforms, not a single one was negative, according to Assad.

“Great to see that some not only adjust to change but stand up to rise above the rest,” said one supporter in a Facebook comment.

Assad said the increase to $14 an hour is, “fair and way overdue” and the previous pay of $11.40, only  upped late last year to $11.60, was not enough to make a living.

While Assad acknowledged the difficulties the extra salary costs will cause for some businesses, he said he feels the public as a whole is responsible for supporting workers.

“We should include the community and the customers in this process, and I think we’ve proven that the community will rally around you and will help keep fair pay to employees,” he said.

Drew Taylor, a master’s student at the University of Ottawa, visits Happy Goat several times a week and said she loves the café’s culture. Taylor has, “zero problem paying a little extra” and can’t imagine frequenting the local shop any less.

“I would rather them increase their prices than have to lay anyone off or change their hours of business,” she said.

In addition to supporting the price increase, Taylor applauds the exposure Happy Goat has brought to the issue with the statement it released on Jan. 7.

“I’m really glad that they did release a statement because I think that helps counteract some public discomfort with price increasing,” she said.

“Happy Goat coming out and just saying, ‘Look, we know it’s a tough time for everyone and a lot of businesses are having to go through some changes, but this is why and we hope you still support us.’ ”

Labour activist and photojournalist Andrew Meade said he has made it his mission to support businesses like Happy Goat that take care of their employees.

With the controversy over some employers — most prominently some Toronto-area Tim Hortons outlets — cutting back paid breaks and benefits to compensate for the wage hike, Meade said Happy Goat’s reaction to the changes is a rallying cry for the community. He said it’s important to be conscious of whose pockets he puts his money into.

“If you as a consumer can justify buying products, I think you should be able to justify supporting the people who do the work that provides them,” said Meade.

“I think it’s easy if you are willing to think a little and put the effort into making conscious and ethical purchases. When you support businesses that support their workers, it lifts everyone up.”

Assad said positive reaction to Happy Goat’s stand proves that, “fair pay to employees is not mutually exclusive to making profits.”