Edge of the Woods, a natural foods grocery store in New Haven, is grappling with growing grocery prices. The store’s produce buyer, Jesse Nemeth, says prices are going up “more and more and more, and people are getting fed up with it.”
Rising Costs
The main factors contributing to the price increase are rising gas prices, volatile weather patterns, and a labor crunch for farmhands and truck drivers. According to Peter Dodge, the owner of Edge, large grocers have the leverage to set their own prices with suppliers, but smaller businesses like Edge do not.
A late spring freeze destroyed crops along the East Coast, and extreme heat waves damaged delicate produce. Higher transit costs are also raising prices, with wholesalers tripling their fuel surcharges. The cost of labor, both on farms and in trucks, has increased significantly due to a shortage of drivers and agricultural workers.
As a result, Edge has been forced to mark up its prices. A pound of organic red bell peppers now costs $9.99, up from $6.99 a few years ago. Celery has risen from $1.99 per bunch to $3.25, and a pint of blueberries now costs $4.25.
With no end in sight to the changing climate or war in Iran, food prices are projected to continue rising throughout the year, particularly for beef and vegetables.
Original reporting: New Haven Independent — read the source article.
