Overview: Learn about the benefits of plant-based milk alternatives for environmental and social justice. Then, develop a business plan for a locally-owned coffee shop to stop charging a higher price for drinks with non-dairy milk.
Learning objectives:
- Improve understanding of animal agriculture’s effects on climate, pollution, and biodiversity loss.
- Improve reading comprehension skills for scientific papers.
- Be able to discuss the relationship between food and the environment with peers and offer practical suggestions for transitioning to a more plant-forward food economy.
- Gain effective communication skills that enable you to critically engage with this topic with varying audiences including your peers and the public, such as active listening and asking critical questions.
- Learn about skills and competencies required in business professions, such as analysis and adaptability to market shifts.
Stages:
Investigation
- Find a local coffee shop for whom you could draft a business plan. Look for owners who are already interested in more sustainable options.
- Ask them about their interests and hesitations about dropping the upcharge.
- Survey the customer base of the coffee shop to better understand how they would feel about changing the price structure.
Preparation and Planning
- Research the connection between food and environment independently and with the support of Switch4Good materials and team.
- Draft the business plan. Be creative and diligent in your planning, always ask yourself what concerns it should address.
Action/Demonstration
- Present the business plan to the coffee shop owners and solicit their feedback.
Deliverables:
- Surveys distributed to owners and customers about how they feel about changing the price structure.
- Business plan with a summary with objectives, description of current business model, market analysis and industry trends, sales strategy, operational plan, and financial projections.
