The rapid growth of coffee shops in Makassar has raised environmental concerns, shifting consumer attitudes toward sustainability. However, a gap remains between attitudes and behavior, where high environmental awareness does not always translate into loyalty. This study is structured to investigate the core factors driving customer loyalty by combining the roles of Environmental Awareness and Sustainability Practices and positioning Brand Image as a variable that mediates the relationship. Through a quantitative research approach, A total of 260 valid responses were obtained from specialty coffee shop customers in Makassar. The resulting structural model and hypothesis testing were performed using PLS-SEM (Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling). The findings reveal different mechanisms in the formation of loyalty. Although both independent variables demonstrated significant direct effects on loyalty, the mediation analysis showed contrasting results. Sustainability practices were successfully enhancing customer loyalty via the mediating role of Brand Image, while environmental awareness had no effect on customer loyalty through brand image, indicating green skepticism. This suggests that for consumers in Eastern Indonesia, operational actions taken by companies are effective in building a credible image rather than mere awareness, which is susceptible to suspicions of greenwashing. These findings provide strategic insight for coffee shop businesses to prioritize tangible evidence of sustainability over superficial branding to gain customer loyalty.

Environmental awareness, Sustainability practices, Brand Image, Customer loyalty.