According to a news report from money.cnn.com, “Pizzeria owner Joe Vicari shakes his head as he prepares to rip open a 50-pound bag of flour for another batch of dough.”
“That’s 37-bucks. $37. I couldn’t believe it!” says Vicari. Since opening Mariella Pizza in mid-town Manhattan 30-years ago, Vicari, says he has never experienced such a jump in the cost of his ingredients,” said the story. “I can’t even believe how much the flour [goes] up. When I see the bill I can’t believe it, that’s too much,” says the veteran pizza maker, who emigrated from Sicily. Only four weeks ago, Vicari says, he was paying just $16-a-bag for Gold Medal brand flour, which at $37-a-bag now seems more golden than ever. Executives at his supplier, Cremosa Food of Melville, New York, did not return CNN’s repeated phone calls, though a source at the company confirms there are plans for a price hike to $40-a-bag in the next week. Cremosa, the source said, is allocating flour to restaurants, refusing to allow customers to buy more than they had purchased the prior week.”