So we are paying 16 bucks a bag for high gluten flour
can i switch to just regular flour for my pizza its only 7 bucks a bag
my dough is a sourdough thick kinda crust
How much differnce will we see in the dough by switching to non high gluten?
Re: Flour prices are killing us, what about non high gluten?
if flour prices are “killing you”, I can’t imagine what all the other increases are doing to you. Flour should be the least of your worries, raise the price up .25 per pizza, that will more than cover 16.00 a bag.
Re: Flour prices are killing us, what about non high gluten?
If that $16 is for a 50lb bag, quit-cher bellyachin’. The rest of us are paying more. If it is for a 25lb bag, go shopping, you should be able to find what you need for quite a bit less.
In the mean time, follow pocky’s advice and raise your prices. The price increase in the last year amounts to less than the 25 cents he mentions. With the other cost increases, all of us should be raising our prices by a dollar or two if we have not already.
Re: Flour prices are killing us, what about non high gluten?
The thing to keep in mind about flour is that there is no standard of identity with exception to the type of flour such as whole wheat, rye, buck wheat, semollina, triticale, corn, etc.
When you’re dealing with things such as high gluten, bread, pastry, cookie, etc. there is no defined standard. What this means is that one man’s high gluten might be the same as another man’s bread flour (from analysis, I know this to be a fact). So, what does this mean to you? You’ve got to buy a bag and try it to see if it will work for you with your dough formula, using your dough management procedure. If it works for you, you save some money, if it doesn’t, try another flour, keep repeating until you find something that works and saves you some money in the process, if you don’t find anything, well…at least you know the answer to your question.
For many of you readers making a more traditional, not a sourdough, pizza, I can attest to the fact that, in most cases, you can safely get away using something other than a “high gluten” flour. Bread type flours will make a surprisingly good pizza if you can live with only two days of dough storage time in the cooler, or if you take the time to make sure your dough management procedures are good, and your dough temperatures are controlled, you will be subjecting the dough to less porential abuse, allowing you to potentially use a lower protein content flour, which can save you a few dollars.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor
Re: Flour prices are killing us, what about non high gluten?
Well thanks tom for answering my question.
Unlike the first two responders who did not answer my question, rather they decieded to give me other advice that i did not ask for.
I.E raising prices again. ( not the answer, i try to lower food cost to keep prices fair so every one can afford my pizza. I look at things from the consumers side of things, because a happy customer is a repeat customer.
Raise Prices…What a joke.
Re: Flour prices are killing us, what about non high gluten?
Well…There comes a time when you have to draw a line in the sand and raise your prices. I’ve seen too many operatore lately that were convinced that they couldn’t raise the price of their pizzas $0.50 across the board, so they gravitated to the lowest cost ingredients thet could find, and then with the tomato product, they diluted it with water to the extent that it was best defined as a tomato liquid, as a result, the pizzas lost their previous identity and business quickly fell off…yup, it was the high cost of those ingredients that put them outta business. Actually, it was their response the the high cost of ingredients that contributed to putting them out of business. One of the latest things that we are getting requests for is assistance with developing a slice operation. Or to put it correctly, assistance with offering slices in addition to their regular pizzas. I’m getting word that some stores are looking into boxes for half-size pizzas, enabling them to sell smaller portions while still maintaining the same high quality ingredients and finished pizza quality. We are also seeing interest from stores that offer only two size pizzas, such as 14-inch and 18-inch, in now offering a smaller (10 or 12-inch) pizza cut in a party cut allowing it to be cut into more than the traditional 8-slices, and thus possibly feeding more people, or at least offering more than a slice or two to each family member (never mind the fact that each piece is smaller). They still love the pizza, but their budgets just don’t allow them to go for the bigger 14 and 18-inch pizzas anymore. Hey…two small pieces of a smaller size pizza is a lot better than no pizza at all.
Point is, do what ya gotta do, but just keep a close eye on quality, don’t let that get lost in the price structuring.
Tom Lehmann/The Dough Doctor
Re: Flour prices are killing us, what about non high gluten?
We dont sell cheap pizza.
Our meduim combos are 15.99 larges are 18.99 and extra large 18inch are 24.99
and a meduim cheese 9.99, large cheese 12.99 and extra large 16.99 cheese
and add toppings are $1 meduim $2 large and $3 Xtra large.
I just want to lower my food cost we are pushing 29% and thats too high for me i am used to running about 24% that 5% is pissing me off…
Re: Flour prices are killing us, what about non high gluten?
joker,
I am sorry you did not find my comments helpful. I did intend them to be. My prices are in the same ballpark as yours. the reality out there is that all of our costs for raw materials, energy and wages are rising. A consistent and sustained effort to find cost savings should always be a part of owning a business and exploring flour alternatives is a worthy place to put some effort. Many of the people posting have been over-reluctant to consider price increases… so price increases are not a joke.
Your topic has been discussed in a large number of threads over the last several months. All of us are in the same boat and looking at the same solutions. All I can say is that if the $16 price your mention for flour is a 50lb bag, you are doing 20% better than I am on finding those cost savings. If that is a 25lb bag, there are meaningful savings to be had by shopping as good high gluten flours are available at for quite a bit less. I am paying about 40 cents a pound for conagra full power.
I have also looked at lower gluten flours augmented by bakers gluten, but found that the price was pretty much a wash with added complesxity to deal with. We did not have a lot of luck when we tested some other flours where we could save a few bucks. In the end, the solution for us was a price increase.
Re: Flour prices are killing us, what about non high gluten?
No no no
I am paying 16.87 for a 25lb bag of high gluten unbleached flour. six months ago it was 5.50.
I found regualr unbleached flour at cash and carry for 8.10 for a 25 lb bag. i use 2-3 25lb bags aday
i can save about 700 bucks a month on just FLOUR!! if i switch
also i am paying 2.59 a lb for cheese but in 30 days i found away to get it for 2.00 a lb for the same cheese
with these two new prices i can save 1600 a month give or take
i cant wait…
Re: Flour prices are killing us, what about non high gluten?
All Trumps @ Restaurant Depot is $23 - $4 less than a week ago & $13 cheaper than USFoods…RestDepot recently opened near me & am reasonably impressed…carries my fav cheese & flour & most supplies I need at considerable savings…those with Depots nearby might do yourself a favor & check 'em out…a minor hassle but I have a refer truck anyway…
Re: Flour prices are killing us, what about non high gluten?
I find US foods prices on flour to be unreasonable right now. Sysco is at $21 for 50lbs of high gluten. We buy weekly from both companies according to that weeks prices. This flour situation is a good example of why.