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Overheard a couple arguing about 'artisan' bread prices at the grocery store
I was picking up flour yesterday and this guy was telling his partner that paying $8 for a loaf of sourdough was a rip-off. He said, 'It's just flour, water, and salt, how hard can it be?' I mean, idk, maybe it's just me but it made me think about how we explain our own pricing. I bake about 30 loaves a week for a small cafe, and between the starter upkeep, the 18-hour proof, and the oven time, that $8 starts to look fair. Has anyone else had to break down the real cost of a 'simple' loaf for someone who doesn't bake?
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adam_anderson61mo ago
Right, but 30 loaves at $8 each is $240 a week for a cafe. That's like $10,000 a year just from that one product. I know there's waste and overhead and all that, but the guy in the store has a point. Sourdough has been "fancy" for so long that people forgot it used to be poor people food. Flour is like 50 cents a pound, water is basically free, and salt is pennies. The "18-hour proof" is just letting it sit on the counter while you sleep or do something else. I'm not saying your labor isn't worth something, but the markup on "artisan" anything is just a story we tell ourselves to feel better about paying for a brand.
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mason_knight2mo ago
Yeah, that guy has no idea lol. Did the partner have any comeback, or did they just stand there looking awkward?
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