Eggflation: Local bakery struggles with inflated ingredient prices - Spectrum News 1

GREEN BAY, Wis.— Liz Rehberg loves to feed people.

That’s why she opened The Bakery in Green Bay.

---

What You Need To Know

• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statists reported an index tracking costs of key goods is up 6.2 percent in the past year
• It’s not just consumers facing higher costs, businesses The Bakery in Green Bay are, too
• The Bakery hasn’t raised its prices, but it may as products like wheat and eggs continue to get more expensive

---

“Seeing how excited people are about their food and things they wanted to try,” she said while making an order of salted caramel thumbprint cookies. “Or hearing people say, ‘This is the best thing I’ve ever eaten.’”

It’s costing her a little more these days to see those reactions.

The Green Bay pastry chef and business owner is paying more for the ingredients she uses in her food, everything from the wheat and eggs to food glitter.

“We’ve seen things like flour jump up a significant amount,” Rehberg said. “My flour normally costs $14 for 50 pounds and now it’s $24. That cost hadn’t changed in years and now all of a sudden it almost doubles.”

The past year has seen an index tracking key goods prices — things like eggs, clothing and energy — increase  6.2%, according to the U.S Bureau Of Labor Statistics.

Speaking on a Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce panel this week, R. Dean Foreman of the American Petroleum Institute said those increases are real for consumers.

“The 5.4% inflation the Bureau of Labor Statists estimated for September … translates to $276 per month across the entire consumer basket for the median U.S. household,” he said one day before the October numbers were released. “Forty percent of U.S. households don’t have an extra $276 a month, so these are real pressures and they’re far beyond just the prices of energy.”

One of Rehberg’s finishing touches on her cookies is glitter.

“This little container of glitter is $8; it used to be $5,” she said.

Rehberg hasn’t yet raised the prices of her food, but it’s something that could happen early next year.

It’s a not a decision she’s mulling over lightly.

“We haven’t passed the cost on on tot he customer yet but we’re not far off from having to do that which I don’t like to do, but you have to,” she said. “If the cookie costs me a dollar, I can’t sell it for a dollar.”

Adblock test (Why?)

Eggflation: Local bakery struggles with inflated ingredient prices - Spectrum News 1
Read More