Earlier in the news, we told you about the rising inflation and the constant increase in basic food items, from the 50cent egg to the $9.00 can of corned beef. And since every penny - or shilling - counts, Belizeans across the country no doubt let out a groan when they learned that Dario's meatpies have gone up by 25 cents.
It's a decision that Dario's operating manager Brent Hernandez says he struggled with and only made once he and his family found themselves in danger of not being able to pay their bills.
Here's what he told Cherisse Halsall today when we visited the famous Hyde's lane location:
Brent Hernandez
"Dario's bakery. I am proud to say that we have endured throughout these years, not by. We adapt. Yes. And we have evolved. Yes, but we have never changed the recipe. My father always insisted I'm not his son. I always make sure diapers and pay just as good as it did before or better, but never go worse."
That's the promise that Brent Hernandez's father Mr. Dario held him to as he handed over the reins to his life's work but Hernandez hadn't lived through a global pandemic and likely could not have imagined the pressures that the next generation at the factory would face.
Brent Hernandez
"During COVID times when things were very extremely so. I mean, if we were selling 300 meat pies at the ordering of it, it was a lot. And that's like unheard of for our business doing big volumes and the number of people that have employed sitting around doing nothing all day. But I didn't fire anyone during COVID based on that. I still kept them. And we rode it out, no. We enjoyed it together as a team."
"I was one month ago, the meetings we had between me and my mother and my sisters, we were like, man, we barely can pay the light and the water but at least we can pay it. Let's try to keep it that way because we know things are bad with COVID. We can't raise price on the people right now and that's how we're thinking."
And that left the family in a tough spot having to cut corners where they could but not where quality is concerned.
Brent Hernandez
"It's either I change the recipe which I cannot do I refuse to change the recipe because that that the standard that is set. So if I not change the recipe and I left meet one other option, I have to raise the price, man. I mein. I am proud to know that people of my product. I mean, I happy for that."
"I'm glad to know that you love Dario's meat pies so much that you guys are willing to get upset because it's rasing, because something you guys want to buy and you get accustomed to the price. And I agree that I wish it could stay that way but due to how the economics are going in the country, it's either I change the recipe and then you guys won't like it anymore, we will balance of a little bit."
And to offset that balance Hernandez has made two promises where the price of pies is concerned.
Brent Hernandez
"I'm not raising the price on the schools was here and I'm not raising the price on the sellers on the street."
"And then we'll always. Do we still. I haven't stopped sell broke-ups but yeah Mr. Darios is selling broke up from 19 I don't know how long and we aren't stopping."
The price of a Darios meatpie at the store is now $1.50 and if you want your pies delivered, they will now cost $1.75 each, which is also what they cost from the street vendors.
