# Price of flour going up



## B'sgirl (Mar 29, 2008)

I don't know if you all have heard this already, but I heard the the price of flour is supposed to go up 300% by the end of the summer so stock up. My source is my church's storehouse. They sent the message to our local rep to spread the news.


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## meshoo96 (Mar 29, 2008)

oh no... did they say why? i can't go without home made bread now that DH has it down to a science...and the cookies..and OHHHH NOOOOOO


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## SixSix210 (Mar 29, 2008)

Guess it's time to move and buy a wheat field then....


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## jpmcgrew (Mar 29, 2008)

I have known flour is going up but did not take it seriously. Last week the local store had Gold Medal unbleached flour normally at $1.79 on sale for $ 99. cents I bought 3 but should have bought at least 10 or more bags.


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## B'sgirl (Mar 29, 2008)

meshoo96 said:


> oh no... did they say why? i can't go without home made bread now that DH has it down to a science...and the cookies..and OHHHH NOOOOOO



They didn't say why, but my guess is something to do with gas prices, oil prices, "food" farm products being transformed into "fuel" products, farm subsidies, you name it. I'm sure we can blame it on something. 

I maybe wouldn't take it as seriously if I hadn't just seen the price of eggs skyrocket on me, among other things.


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## Maverick2272 (Mar 29, 2008)

If you get Time magazine, there is an article in this months issue entitled "The Clean Energy Myth".
They state on the cover "Politicians and Big Business are pushing biofuels like corn-based ethanol as alternatives to oil. All they're really doing is driving up food prices and making global warming worse - and you're paying for it."
Interesting article, worth reading if you can get a hold of it.


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## CharlieD (Mar 29, 2008)

everything is going up in price, it's crazy. Flour already went up in price. I buy 25 lb bags usualy, one day it was $7 bucks and next week it's already $10.


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## Potato Repairman (Mar 30, 2008)

About a month ago in the Wall Street Journal there was an article about how investors are moving more speculative money from financial markets into the commodity markets because of the larger potential profits, and how this is forcing the prices up.  I believe it was the Feb 28 or 29 issue.


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## Maverick2272 (Mar 30, 2008)

It is the same thing they did with oil, it is no longer directly based on supply and demand but speculation. Somethings should be off limits to those vultures, and necessities like food and oil at the top of the list.


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## AMSeccia (Mar 30, 2008)

Good thing flour freezes well, I think I'll start hoarding ...


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## Dave Hutchins (Mar 30, 2008)

Once a month I go to the senior citizen bld. next door and bake 5 doz cinnamon rolls for the old folks and the lady that runs it said her flour bill went up 20 dollars a 50# bag from$ 10.00, some body is getting it in the shorts and it us....... and the rich get richer


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## AMSeccia (Mar 30, 2008)

Does anybody else find this worrisome?  I mean seriously ... in another (quite disadvantaged) life, I literally lived on macaroni, thrift store bread, pancake mix, etc. 
I think it's scary to think what the truly needy people in society are going to do when these last affordable items are out of reach.  What does it mean for the 10 cent Ramen noodle packs?  I know people who LIVE on those.  

I don't know about some of you, but I know what it's like not to have anything to eat, and I enjoy donating as a means of giving back.  I guess I'll go from donating protein items like tuna, peanut butter and beef to donating staples like flour and pasta!  

Scary times!


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## Adillo303 (Mar 30, 2008)

It seems that Australia has had a crop failure.

Withered crops down under and a weak American dollar have prompted a run on U.S. wheat the last two years, making flour an ever more precious commodity. Only now the staple is getting so expensive, it's threatening to derail entire businesses. 

I had read that wheat production os off, which makes prices go up. Maybe we have US version of OPEC going on. Funny thing though, if OPEC were a US interest it would be deamed an illegal monopoly.


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## CharlieD (Mar 30, 2008)

Scary indeed.ur bills are mostly food and gas. I just told my wife we should start choose what we can and cannot buy, I mean food. With 5 kids it is really hard.


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## AMSeccia (Mar 30, 2008)

Charli, not to go way off topic, but I feel for ya ... have you checked out livingonadime.com?  Great resource for living within a budget.  We are only a family of four, but try to help provide for my aging parents and grandmother in Upper Michigan, and I find lots of good tips there.

Okay, so to bring this back on topic ... I have never cooked with alternate flours.  I would enjoy any pointers from those who do.


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## stassie (Mar 30, 2008)

It's already had a big price hike here - gone from $4 (NZD) to $7 for a 5kg bag. As has been mentioned, the increase is attributed to the poor crops in Aussie and the increase in the use of wheat for biofuels.


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## Alix (Mar 30, 2008)

Weird, I just posted that I paid $13 for a 20lb bag of flour that I would normally pay $5 for. Yikes.


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## AllenOK (Mar 30, 2008)

Yep, crops gone off is the the source, and speculators just add fuel to the fire.  I think we ought to declare open season on speculators.


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## corazon (Mar 30, 2008)

I suppose now is the time to try Atkins diet. 
I saw an article in our local newpaper about this too. They are worried that many bakeries will shut down because of it. Who will pay over $5 for a loaf of bread?!


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## GotGarlic (Mar 30, 2008)

Maverick2272 said:


> If you get Time magazine, there is an article in this months issue entitled "The Clean Energy Myth".
> They state on the cover "Politicians and Big Business are pushing biofuels like corn-based ethanol as alternatives to oil. All they're really doing is driving up food prices and making global warming worse - and you're paying for it."
> Interesting article, worth reading if you can get a hold of it.



It's available online: The Clean Energy Scam - TIME


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## babetoo (Mar 30, 2008)

five pounds flour for 1.99 , house brand at market on line where i shop

don't know if that is up or down. i don't buy as much flour now that carbs are not for me.

babe


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## Michael in FtW (Mar 30, 2008)

You might also want to check out the thread that seans_potato_business started about this which goes way beyond just the cost of flour: food inflation. 

I'm afraid it's going to be a bumpy ride for a while ....

But - I think people will rediscover a lot of things they did during WWII - baking their own bread, growing their own gardens, canning ... the ones who will be hurt the most are those who live in apartments.


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## CanadianMeg (Mar 31, 2008)

Here's another good article about this issue.

CBC News In Depth: Food


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## Wart (Mar 31, 2008)

Maverick2272 said:


> It is the same thing they did with oil, it is no longer directly based on supply and demand but speculation. Somethings should be off limits to those vultures, and necessities like food and oil at the top of the list.



Those 'vultures' feed our retirement funds. It's our investment dollars at work.

Many wouldn't be able to afford extravagances without it.


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## buckytom (Mar 31, 2008)

the price of food, aka commodities, has been a speculatin' for a long time now. it's just getting ugly.


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## Maverick2272 (Mar 31, 2008)

Wart said:


> Those 'vultures' feed our retirement funds. It's our investment dollars at work.
> 
> Many wouldn't be able to afford extravagances without it.



Not mine they don't, and I don't know of anyone that makes as much off this as they do... so just because they are 'generous' enough to give us 10% of what they make as a 'thank you' for us letting them use our retirement funds to make and keep the other '90%' doesn't get them out of the 'vulture' status.

Checking thru DW's 401k I don't see anywhere where it mentions the option of investing in speculation markets. That and I fail to see how any meager gains they may let you keep can somehow offset these huge increases in the cost of living.


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## Wart (Mar 31, 2008)

Maverick2272 said:


> Not mine they don't, and I don't know of anyone that makes as much off this as they do... so just because they are 'generous' enough to give us 10% of what they make as a 'thank you' for us letting them use our retirement funds to make and keep the other '90%' doesn't get them out of the 'vulture' status.




Your making 10% off of this?




> Checking thru DW's 401k I don't see anywhere where it mentions the option of investing in speculation markets.




All investment is speculation. 401s are invested funds, thus ....




> That and I fail to see how any meager gains they may let you keep can somehow offset these huge increases in the cost of living.



I can clearly see where us feeding ourselves or being able to afford getting to work is not 'their' problem.


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## GotGarlic (Mar 31, 2008)

Wart said:


> I can clearly see us feeding ourselves or being able to afford getting to work is not 'their' problem.



That attitude is what led to the French revolution. Honestly, I'm not a socialist or even close, but when the workers (as opposed to those living off of investments, or owning the large businesses, or sitting on the boards of other companies where the CEOs all set each other's salaries sky-high) can't afford the necessities of life, they revolt. There's no other choice. Look back to the robber baron era of the late 1800s - we're there again, only it's worldwide.


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## B'sgirl (Apr 1, 2008)

GotGarlic said:


> That attitude is what led to the French revolution. Honestly, I'm not a socialist or even close, but when the workers (as opposed to those living off of investments, or owning the large businesses, or sitting on the boards of other companies where the CEOs all set each other's salaries sky-high) can't afford the necessities of life, they revolt. There's no other choice. Look back to the robber baron era of the late 1800s - we're there again, only it's worldwide.



You are right about that. I have just been reading a few tidbits by Frederic Bastiat, who was an economist during the French Revolution era. He has quite a bit to say on the politics of government controls, food, social classes. It's very enlightening.


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## Caine (Apr 1, 2008)

I'm still trying to figure out the correlation between gasoline and milk. It seems every time the price of gasoline goes up, the cost of milk drops. When gas was $2.59, milk was $6.20 for two gallon jugs. When the price of gas went to $3.39, the price of milk went to $5.60 for two gallons. Then the price of gasonline dropped to about $3.11 a gallon and the price of milk went to $6.00 for two gallons. Now, gasoline is $3.59 a gallon, milk is selling for $5.40 for two gallons. 

And the beat goes on.


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## B'sgirl (Apr 1, 2008)

Caine said:


> I'm still trying to figure out the correlation between gasoline and milk. It seems every time the price of gasoline goes up, the cost of milk drops. When gas was $2.59, milk was $6.20 for two gallon jugs. When the price of gas went to $3.39, the price of milk went to $5.60 for two gallons. Then the price of gasonline dropped to about $3.11 a gallon and the price of milk went to $6.00 for two gallons. Now, gasoline is $3.59 a gallon, milk is selling for $5.40 for two gallons.
> 
> And the beat goes on.



Really? Here they both seem to cost the same no matter what!


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## Caine (Apr 3, 2008)

B'sgirl said:


> Really? Here they both seem to cost the same no matter what!


Yep, really. In fact, the price of gasloine dropped a few cents a gallon here last week, and the price of milk jumped to $5.70 for two 1 gallon jugs.


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## Wart (Apr 3, 2008)

Went to Wally World today.

10 pounds of King Arther unbleached AP is still $5.12

I bought 50 pounds.

Two weeks ago I got a 50 of Saffire from the vendor, cost $30.

?


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## AMSeccia (Apr 3, 2008)

Wart, that's a GREAT price.  Are you freezing it?  Our WM doesn't carry KAF, but a local grocer does and my plan is to buy out the shelf, vac-seal and freeze it.

To stay on topic, 5 lbs at a different grocer was $4.29 this week (King Arthur unbleached AP)


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## Wart (Apr 4, 2008)

That 50 pounds KA will probably be gone in six weeks at the most. I got the sapphire going on 3 weeks ago and less than 1/4 is left. Probably won't last through the weekend. So there isn't much sense in freezing the KA. I will put it in a large ziplok though.


It seemed as though none of the flours at the Super WW had a price increase.

Since I have room in a freezer .... Get it while you can?


On T:

Anyone else seeing the middle class becoming the new 'working poor'?


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## pacanis (Sep 9, 2008)

Looks like I might as well buy a supply of flour. Now that the colder weather is starting to move in I will be going through more bread, eating it with soups, stews and other "dunkin'" foods.
_And_ Robin Hood or Pillsbury flour is on sale this week; 5-5 lb bags for $10. That's a pretty good deal even if I do use KA flour.


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## LadyCook61 (Sep 9, 2008)

I'm set for awhile, having bought a 50 lb bag of unbleached bread flour and 50 lb bag of unbleached AP.


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## babetoo (Sep 9, 2008)

would you believe my market doesn't even have bread flour?  i need it by thursday or would order on line. tomorrow will check other markets. 

have no clue as to price.

babe


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## pacanis (Sep 9, 2008)

I don't know if one of these brands makes a bread flour, I hope so, but if not I'll just get _real good_ at making crusty bread


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## JoeV (Sep 9, 2008)

Stopped by my local market last night and the kid was standing in front of the flour with a price gun. I asked what he was doing, and he said "_raising the price of the flour like I was told to do._" Before he could start changing prices I grabbed 25 lbs of bread and 25 lbs of AP and put them in my cart. He said "Hey, you can't do that. I didn't change the price yet." My reply was "I just did, young man. I just did."

Went up $.40 per 5lb bag. At least I'm set for 4-6 weeks. I don't have more room, or I would have bought more flour.

JoeV


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## mcnerd (Sep 9, 2008)

Wish my market still had stock boys. I can't outmaneuver the computer at mine.  It will update the price between the time I take it off the shelf to the moment it is scanned.


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## B'sgirl (Sep 10, 2008)

JoeV said:


> Stopped by my local market last night and the kid was standing in front of the flour with a price gun. I asked what he was doing, and he said "_raising the price of the flour like I was told to do._" Before he could start changing prices I grabbed 25 lbs of bread and 25 lbs of AP and put them in my cart. He said "Hey, you can't do that. I didn't change the price yet." My reply was "I just did, young man. I just did."
> 
> Went up $.40 per 5lb bag. At least I'm set for 4-6 weeks. I don't have more room, or I would have bought more flour.
> 
> JoeV




I haven't seen as much of an increase as I thought. But I also haven't bought much flour lately. I found out my son has a gluten allergy so we rarely use it anymore. Gluten free flour is ridiculously expensive anyway so I guess it's all the same to me.


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## pacanis (Sep 10, 2008)

You can't do that....   Oh, OK, here you go.... good one.


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## babetoo (Sep 10, 2008)

i bought five pounds of bread flour store brand today. it was almost five dollars. also bought a mini loaf of bread that was four dollars. i think it is cheaper to bake .                                                                                     babe


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