Prepare to pay more for a pack of bread on Monday. We wish we could say it isn't so, but it is. Bakers across the city have agreed to increase the price of a loaf of sliced white bread from $1.25 to $1.50. The price of a loaf of bun will also increase by 25 cents - moving from $1.50 to $1.75. What's behind the sudden increase? Keith swift went to the city's longest serving bakery - Sunnyside on Racecourse Street to find out.
Zebedee Pitterson, Sunny Side Bakery
"The only thing I want to say to my customers is that sorry I have to raise the bread but we can't do no better because the price of everything is up."
And that's why as of Monday, you will be paying 25 cents more for a loaf of bread and 25 cents more for bun. Zebedee Pitterson - of the legendary Sunny and Tan Bakery - says the price of a loaf of bread and bun is increasing because just about everything else has increased. He says the bakers didn't have a choice.
Zebedee Pitterson,
"People would say well flour didn't raise but flour raised on us long time because we have to put a 'two pan' in it and that costs us $3 a bag more to put in the bread. So instead of paying $52 you're paying $55 because if we don't put that in, you will have only flat bread because the flour mill may be good to make Johnny cake and Creole bread but not baker bread; it is a different type of flour we have to use. Let me read out the rest for: plastic went from $45 to $65 a thousand. We got diesel, we paid $2,500 for 500 gallons but now it is $3,500. For instance the shortening, we used to pay $38 but now it is $65 and for instance you got salt gaan up too. Well we got the gasoline which we used to spend $70 a day to run the bread but now it is $90 a day. So everything went up on us. So all the bakers agreed that we will raise the price. We had a meeting and all of them agreed. Everyone is losing."
Keith Swift,
So this is across the board? At all stores the prices will increase?
Zebedee Pitterson,
"Across the board, all of us."
Pitterson says that because for most families, a pack bread is an essential part of meals for most families - the decision to increase the price was a difficult one.
Zebedee Pitterson,
"I hold out as much as I could but I can't hold out anymore."
Keith Swift,
What do you expect to be the reaction of your customers?
Zebedee Pitterson,
"Well I think 25 cents more, corn tortilla gaan up by 25 cents. Everything gaan up, check the prices. I don't think they should say, some of them say its time for us to raise the bread but you will find some of them who don't begged me not to raise it but you can't be working at a loss."
Pitterson says that the price of his special bun will remain at $2.50. Again the increase isn't only at Sunnyside, it will be across the board at all bakeries.
