...plus there are exactly 500 gram a pound of coffe when you buy them. usually packed in 250 gram or 500 gram packs.

@ Geezer
You are splitting hairs, plus your post has plenty of errors as well.
So let's stay with the idea of the op.

Overpriced coffee, big profits for the owners and sh** pay is a comman factual situation for "ALL" the cafes and joints in Kunming.

Most menus are not calculated but just compared to what a coffee cost overseas rather than based on real cost-revenue calculation (the thing you and op tried to do).
And op is right the price for coffee, the delivery production and service is cheaper than the US or Europe but the price is higher in Kunming than elsewhere, which in fact makes no sense except for greedy businesses. And paying 2000 for service staff. That is if you have years of experience and work like a maniac, if not 2000RMB in service is sheer day dreaming.
All that helping the community and minorites, i don't buy it and most is just promotion rather than help to make sure you don't mind paying irrational prices for local grown products. I believe it when I see their profits and savings being used to help, but usually it says "Buy more of our stuff and help the poor, while they send a few pennies as they keep in more than 80% (in alright cases) and usually 97-98 % for. Oldest scam in the world.

Quite disgsuting to, be honest.

The people I know 'really' helping the poor never even mention it and would never ask to help them to pay their dues or charities. They just send help and make sure it gets there, no need for publicity.

The average amount for espresso (most barrista coffes are made with espresso machines) which uses between 7-9 grams of coffee powder.

You need more than the 453 gram for your calculation, because you need more in real life sorroundings, spills, machine problems...etc
But as geezer said

'accounting is not rocket science but it is not intuitive'
.....the one without sins (mistakes) shall throw...

@Dan, bucko, niconanhai
So I am not supposed to say something when sombody is puffing a cigarette in an elevator or cab while my wife is sitting there 4 month pregnant?
what is this about China, that even foreigners are, -as soon a setting foot in China, -want to forbid to say anything bad (or obvious) about China?

It's ridiculous, of course it's ligit to moan whine or do something about it.

Seeing someone smoke in closed spaces or where people shouldn't smoke, you should open your mouth about it.

I always do and never experienced aggression towards it,... loss of face? A lot but "if you are an inconsierate a**hole not being able to hold your tobacco intake back for 1 minute being with strangers, then you never got face anyway". That is a quote from an old Chinese lady in an elevator, about a man smoking and giving her an angry face when asked to kill it.

That is the problem why there are still many courtesies not being standard in China because most people are too lazy or cowards to point out when they see it.

In MHO, they are even worse then the people doing it, especially when they come with that idiotic 'you are in China you have to accept everything that you see or that is done to you".

fortunately there is a change in awarenes already taken place, it is just is a question of time, now. More Chinese educate themselves and are travelling to other countries and absorbing the life abroad.

If people give you attitute about the smoking tell them that your lungs can't handle the smoke. It's a fact for every living being and it's polite towards strangers.

You don't say anything nothing will change,... ever!.

If you say something just say it in a proper way.

Over the last week there was a lot of rant (not short of contributions by me, myself) about how much China sucks. And most points I made I stand by, but it also made me think about how much I also still love this place and I think, a lot of you guys, feel the same way. So for a change I wanted to open a thread with all the wonderful places, people and perks of this great province.

Besides my rants about China and Chinese, I love you guys (Chinese) especially my wonderful, beautiful wife....and...

My friends who are ranging from, nerdy, cool, quirky to almost literally insane (the good way),

The wonderful customers I (love to) serve.

My neighbors, who are sweet about me beeing noisy all the time.

The shop owners that give me local prices for my Chinese skills (or lack of it) hell even those wonderful security guards in my residence, real guards, that smile and greet me with politeness.

I know it sounds funny, but the Chinese driver that gave me right of way the other night (not many around so I thought he needed mentioning).

That wonderful man who helped me assist first aid until he completely took over with great skill even though he forgot a lot of his training. Wonderful a real tearjerker moment.

The nice and good cabbies who actually do stand out of the lot of shabby ones. With this I tell you, you are noticed and we do love and appreciate you.

The great doctors in Richland (I know sometimes they may not be the best, but so far, treated me and my wife, extraordinary).

The wonderful people that blog and post about foreigners and Chinese living together and learning from each other. You got my deepest respect.

The open minded, self educated, knowledge hungry parents I encountered in my time as teacher, there are more and more everyday, thanks to good teachers and managers leaning towards quality education.

The incredible craftsmanship you can get when you pay a bit extra asking for custom made stuff, especially carved furniture and clothes.

Those FuWuYuans that never get the credit they deserve being treated rudely and disrespectful a lot of times. I appreciate what you do. Especially being so friendly to kids and old people.

The cafes around wenlinjie and wenhuaxiang to make Kunming feel more like home. With café Prague to be my favorite. Food could be better but the atmosphere is great. Sal's food is better no questions about that, but as European I don't just visit a café only for nutrients and flavor. Plus the no smoking section in tobacco crazy Yunnan is paradise for the happy lungs.

Dali!!!! ('nuff said)

The fact that you can go to the market and buy all sorts of tropical and sub-tropical food, for a buck and a half.
I make my home made Mojito with mint and lime either homegrown or bought for 2 kuai/Jing ???.....I know.....Right?

That you can look at some foreigners with together with Chinese friends and shake your head in disbelieve how they behave, and make a mental note..."Oh man. ...Have I been there before!!!"

Even the China Blues, when you have to get out of this country for a week or two and then realize that you love this place and can't wait for the returning date to arrive. As all good love-hate relationships should be.

The free elementary education even for foreign kids, and being optioned to let your kid get the political education or not.

The help I got from some Chinese when things looked real dire.

The management of the company I work for, they are fantastic and showing a completely new vibe of what modern companies could look like, with incredible results.

All in all China is a fantastic place to be, and you can't give the government a blame for not trying. To welcome foreigners and with time they will get much more successful actually letting you feel that way. That goes for most common Chinese people as well. It will get better, disregarding if you accept all the bad (or good) stuff or not, because even the most resilient will sooner or later be overrun by evolution and progress. Because this place is awesome....

My last 2 cents on this here...becasue it has been chewed out a million times....but when I read this quote here I instantly thought about live in China.

'Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,Nothing is going to get better. It's not.' -Dr. Seuss's 'The Lorax'

@Colin
Would be great to know when you guys are back.
If you could please let us know.