The Cost of Food
A bad start to 2008
If yesterday’s first morning back at work had one common thread it was the price of food. Every supplier that I spoke to told me that they were forced to put their prices up and it wasn’t going to get better anytime soon.
Last years horrendous weather has sent the price of dairy and wheat through the proverbial roof, 40% increases on butter and cream with 30% on flour based products means tough times ahead for the caterer and ultimately, the consumer. I can see those who buy and serve pre- prepared foods taking the biggest hit this year, so much of our convinience food consists of dairy and wheat based products that these increases are going to make it hard for caterers to hit their profit targets let alone tempt customers into buying them.
The English vegetable industry has also been struggling, many crops were destroyed by the recent floods so watch out for increases there. Apples and grapes could soon be in short supply so now is the time to look to Seville oranges and saphire plums.
We are not the only country (England) to have suffered the effects of a poor summer, Australia is way down on productivity and this has a direct impact on the UK markets. The same applies to meat prices, beef has reached near all time highs with even the cheaper cuts such as chuck steak going up by some 60p per pound. I have been told that the local butchers are telephoning each other to find out how much the other is charging for beef and chicken fillets. Imported beef is dearer than ever, much of the beef imported into this country from countries such as Argentina and Brazil have been badly hit due to the BSE outbreak in Brazil.
Imported foods from Europe into the UK are not doing much better either, my supplier of truffles and specialist mushrooms is suffering from the poor state of the euro to the pound which he then has to pass on to me.
None of this bodes well for the consumer, if I have to pay and extra £12 for a case of butter then your local supermarket is going to do the same to you, it will be interesting to see how much the price of the average households food bill goes up by and the knock on effect that will have for the restaurant trade.
Miles
I’m seeing this on the high street as well.
Normally I’m pretty unaware to food prices etc but even I can see they’re going through the roof.
Also a lot of people are talking about it.
Lots of things are seeing 30% rises !
It’s easy to be blasé about a loaf of bread going up 30p but increases like that on a family shopping budget could mean an extra £30 per week
As you mention some people in the trade are going to be hit. Surely the 2 meals for £5 are going to have problems (if they don’t already)
Very interesting to hear that you are being hit and for giving us the reasons why.
I suspected it may be the supermarkets using it as an excuse to rip us off - so thanks for the background in explaining why food prices are rising so fast here in the UK
January 30, 2008 @ 9:20 am
Miles,
More than ever then should people learn to make left-overs count. What were we saying only a few weeks ago about chicken (free range of course)…. roasted then the next day add the last of the cold meat into a fried rice… then simmer the carcass for stock to make soup or sauce or a base for cous cous etc etc. I’ll be the first to admit that mine is probably not the national average weekly family budget for food, and for those on a low income it must be difficult. Nevertheless to draw up a menu for a family of say four or five that would be interesting.
An old friend of mine telephoned last night and we chatted for a while about life and the universe…. and she mentioned that she had decided as an exercise to shop totally at her near by Aldi for a period of time to see if it made a difference financially, which it did. Now I’m not suggesting we necessarily go the same way but there are choices, one size does not fit all.
Moving on… you have reminded me about the Seville oranges for the annual marmalade making, another excellent use for the stock pot.
Cid
January 30, 2008 @ 9:26 am
Miles,
Thank you for an interesting and informative post. I remember the farmers’ warnings last year about rising prices because of the weather. There is also the impact on fuel, of course. These price rises are happening globally and I have certainly seen it during my shopping.
Cid is right in people making more of left overs and learning a wider range of meals. Our forebearers knew a thing or two about it.
It made me think again about the cost and perceived value of the cheaper chickens which may end up remaining the preferred option.
Elsie
January 30, 2008 @ 7:07 pm
Cid & Elsie,
I often talk about food thrift, it is something which, by and large has become lost on us. I love reading older cookery books because they always had a section dedicated to using leftovers. I shall do some posts on these in the near future.
Miles
January 30, 2008 @ 7:12 pm
Miles,
This is very interesting. I am just wondering about the effects on the likes of you and headchefs elsewhere. Are you likely to use the same food and ingredients and simply pass on the cost or will you be looking to the cost and re-assess your menus accordingly?
Christine
January 30, 2008 @ 7:38 pm
Miles and Elsie,
I should have told you both that I’ve made several batches of bubble & squeak recently after Elsie mentioned it here. Everyone so far has loved it…. goes with fish and all meats I think. Tomorrow a friend is due to pop round for lunch and looking at what’s in my cupboard/fridge I could get a bit depressed, but hey there’s a bowl of stock from yesterdays chicken and I know I’ve got plenty of risotto rice, garlic clove, pinch saffron and a piece of parmesan that’s been in the fridge for some time…. or will she be watching the carbs? Perhaps it should be veg soup with garlic croutons (mix with a little olive oil, 8 mins in an oven 190c for those who haven’t tried making their own). Either way it’s not going to cost a fortune and won’t take long to make. I look forward to your post on left-overs Miles.
Cid
January 30, 2008 @ 7:53 pm
Okay, cue the chime in from America. I just had a friend come stay for two and a half days. My food budget for those two days was nearly $70, and we ate out for a meal. Luckily, the large portions gave us enough to have for a second meal. Americans are BIG into taking the leftovers home for another meal. Since that meal cost me another $70 something, leftovers were gladly taken, and happily eaten. Good thing my wine cellar and bar were already fully stocked.
I can remember the first time I took my German friends, one of whom was in her 80s out to lunch at a place in Luxembourg. Of course, no one could finish her meal, so I asked for the leftovers to be boxed up for each of us. Poor Tante Lena nearly died of apoplexy, but was certainly happy to have another meal. On another ocassion, I asked to have my left-over potatoes boxed up. The little girl of the owner asked my friend if I was too poor to buy potatoes for my home, and was that the reason I was taking my restaurant food with me. But, waste, want not. And besides, there might be another potato famine and those left-overs will come in handy.
January 30, 2008 @ 8:42 pm
Christine,
Good question. Many of our menus are set for 2008 and 2009 (think weddings and conferences) so we have to take the hit. As for our lunch and dinner menus we are not going to put our prices up as yet. The secret is as Cid has said, to make the most of the produce in front of you which is what we do.
If something becomes too expensive for the market that we are in then I shall drop it from the menu, there is a limit to everything.
Miles
January 30, 2008 @ 9:51 pm
Annie,
That’s very interesting, we hardly ever get asked to wrap food up for customers to take out, probably because my portions are small!! Wasting food is a crime and I applaud anyone who actively discourages it.
Miles
January 30, 2008 @ 9:55 pm
Rod,
It’s not just food, the bad weather has had an adverse effect on hops, hence the continued rise on beer prices. It’s just not right!
Miles
January 30, 2008 @ 9:57 pm
Cid,
That sounds great, I would love a lunch like that. As for the posts I shall post a few from yesteryear and some of my own. You can make your own mind up!
Miles
January 30, 2008 @ 9:59 pm