A little more at Tully's for a cup that composts

By Melissa Allison

Seattle Times business reporter

Tully's Coffee will raise drink prices by an average of 11 cents to cover the cost of some big changes.

Starting Wednesday, all espresso drinks sold by the chain will use only organic, Fair Trade-certified coffee beans. Those beans will cost the Seattle company 17 to 20 cents more a pound than it has been paying.

Tully's also will spend 1 to 1.5 cents more for each of its cups, which beginning Wednesday are compostable and recyclable. Most paper coffee cups are not recyclable because of a plastic lining that keeps them from getting soggy. Tully's new cups, made by International Paper, use a plastic lining made from corn.

Tully's hopes the new espresso and recycled cups will attract new customers.

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