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Cheese prices... what are you paying?

B

bodegahwy

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We are buying low moisture part skim mozz block cheese in about 40 lb cases at $1.96 per pound this week just ended. (June 14 last day) We use about 35,000 lbs per year.

What was the invoice price for cheese for you in the same week and did you buy it block, grated or shredded? About how much do you buy?
 
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I do realize that this is CANADIAN price… but I just paid $5.05 per pound. I am opening my business (hopefully) in August depending on rennovations (Thanks to all you guys out there rennovating too - your stories are my stories) But yes, the cheese prices really scare me.

Debbie
 
In another magazine to PMQ it was quaoted that we are to expect cheese to increase between 17% and 25% in then coming weeks.

Currently we pay AU$96 for a 20 kilo mozz block which is roughly AU$2.20 lb so we can look to a new price up to AU$2.70.

This price rise is another one from the effect of our worst drought on record.

Funny thing is that I use New Zealand Cheddar and Mozz because it is far better quality, even though slightly more costly, but I bet your bottom dollar that the price of this will go up as well even though they don’t have any drought problems.

Dave
 
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Debbie
Shop around for you cheese. I am paying $4.26/lb in Alberta from GFS
 
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grande $2.72 last order but told to expect at least a 15 cent jump on next order. This really bites!!! It seems like it was only $1.99 JUST six weeks ago.(although it seems like forever ago)
 
Thanks Daddio, being really new to this business I have tried to do alot of comparison shopping. I will keep trying cause every cent counts. Through Think Tank I have heard that Mozza/Provolone seems to be one of the best tasts around but when I went in search of Provolone all I could find was a very small “tray” of it and for about 4 thin slices it was almost $6.00! There went that idea. I hope by the time I open I will have a good idea of all the prices out there. I plan to pick up my own supplies as the quantities I will need will not warrant a distributor (if that’s what they are called) my town is VERY small and I think I may be lucky to sell 100 pizzas a weekend - ya, I know I am probably crazy for getting into this but I love a challenge. My post is getting really long here so I will stop - sorry everyone.
 
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Debbie,
I don’t know if you have a walk in or just small refigeration units but it would really be in your best interest to talk to a food rep, rather than buy local. The difference is huge. Just as an example, you stated $6 for a small tray provolone? You can get a large block of GOOD provolone for less than $3 a pound. Also if you want to use a Mozzarella/Provolone blend, there are several good blends for around $3.50 a pound or less. I am quoting high because the prices have gone up so much but US Foods has a nice 50/50 blend packaged under the Roseli name and it has a good flavor and because it is already shredded it takes the labor costs of shredding and cleaning the shredder out of the equation. I shredded my own cheese for months and just switched to shredded about a month ago but after figuring the labor, and the cost of grazing when I’m not looking, I think I am really saving money although it is a little more expensive. I hope this is helpful.
 
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Hi there, I am in Canada though. Seems our cheese prices are WAY above the U.S.

I just got a “tip” from one of the other business owners in my town though. There is a place in the City that has shreeded pizza cheese (Mozza) for an incredible price of around $1.35 a lb. Now, the problem there is that this place does not always get cases of cheese. So, you take your chances and grab a bunch when they do have it. This also means I would be freezing it.

Any thoughts on that?

(All replies are helpful - Thanks NYC)
 
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Yes, I know… If it sounds too good to be true… it usually is. I will check it out next time they have it but I will NOT buy it if is not the real thing. Things like that can happen. There are alot of wholesale type places in Winnipeg that just get a TON of stuff in and sell it quickly at rock bottom blow out prices. I am hoping very much that this is the case. You never know. It also may be outdated stuff in which case I would not touch either.
 
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We use 100% mozz and paid $2.13 a pound this Tuesday.

That price is a benefit of being part of a 125+ unit franchise.
 
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Debbie,
Are you using conveyor or brick ovens? This may play a part in making a decision on which cheese to buy. It seems the cheaper the cheese the more likelyhood of burning in a brick oven. My old bakers pride y600s burn everything except Grande and the five cheese blend from US Foods. I’ve tried less expensive and it doesn’t work for me. I don’t know if this helps but if you are using conveyors I think you might get away with using a lesser expensive cheese.
 
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My oven is an electric double stacked deck oven dated 1952! (This was part of the building purchase deal) Ummm I am not even sure of the make right at this moment (I am not at the same bldg as the oven right now)

Through trial test runs I find that the cheese was cooking and browning really fast and the bottom was not cooked. (regualar full fat Mozza). I turned the oven down to 450 but I am still having the same type of trouble.

My “oven fan” is not hooked up yet and the previous owner said that when I hook it up it will act like a confection type oven - ???
 
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although it is expensive, try Grande if you can. It is nearly impossible to burn. I have my decks set at 525 and the pies get done evenly. bottoms nice and brown and cheese perfect. It may require a little higher pricing but it is well worth it unless you are in a price driven market where consumers are more about the cost than the taste.
 
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Grande $2.93 S.Florida
Alta Cucina Tomato $19.80 cs.
All Trump Flour $12.25 50lb
What hapened to a pie costing less that 1.50 to make. Inflation is killing the business & the consumer wont care they just go to the whoer with the $5.00 coupon offer!
Kevin!
 
raise all of your prices NOW !!! I’ts only going to get worse 75% cheese increase in last year!! Does your mechanic still charge 10.95 for an oil change or 30 bucks like mine?If you dont pass it on you will be out of business,costco$10.95 large last time I checked you or I can’t buy like they can give good quality CHARGE for it and people will understand!!! :roll:
 
wake up call:
raise all of your prices NOW !!! I’ts only going to get worse 75% cheese increase in last year!! Does your mechanic still charge 10.95 for an oil change or 30 bucks like mine?If you dont pass it on you will be out of business,costco$10.95 large last time I checked you or I can’t buy like they can give good quality CHARGE for it and people will understand!!! :roll:
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And the pizza factories still sell pies for $5 apiece. Somebody hit me in the head with a board. It would be more pleasant than explaining the $5 pie.
 
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