APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Prices have been rising across the nation, and consumers and businesses are feeling the impact.
Owner of Whisk and Arrow Nea Hahn tells FOX 11 the price increase in baking ingredients has caused her bills to climb.
“Last year at this time, my bill for eggs and butter was anywhere between $300 and $500 a week, and this year is anywhere between $1,200 and $1,500 a week — just in eggs and butter.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics the price of butter is up 32.2%, and eggs are up 30.5% from September 2021.
These increases have forced the Appleton bakery to make the difficult decision to raise their prices.
“On some things 10%, on some things 20% — it should have been 40% or 50% but then, like I said, you price yourself out of the market. Then you won’t sell anything,” says Hahn.
Hahn says she has been analyzing the bakery’s data since prices have increased.
“The weekly visits to the bakery have decreased a little bit because people are being more conscious. You know everybody is waiting for a big recession.”
The USDA predicts all food prices to increase by three to four percent by 2023.
Heading into the holidays, grocery shoppers at Woodman’s say they will be baking more and are ready for their grocery bills to keep increasing.
“It used to be like $2.22 for a pound of butter, and it’s like three dollars almost four, and eggs are so expensive, and milk,” says Natalia Drevenchuck.
Shoppers say although prices are high, they will continue their normal baking routine.
“I just love baking and whether the price goes up or not, I still do it because I just love it a lot, and my kids love the baked goods,” says Drevenchuck.
But Hahn says she believes she will have to raise prices again. But fears customers will reach a breaking point.
“How far can you go taking care of the bill without making your client pay six dollars for a cookie?”
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