COLORADO SPRINGS — Egg prices are once again on the rise, and while that might add a few extra dollars to your grocery bill, the impact is far more significant for businesses that rely on eggs every day.
For local bakeries like Norma’s Bakery, the increase in prices is taking a serious toll.
“That's the number one ingredient. I mean, without eggs, we don't have anything," says Eder, a manager at Norma's Bakery.
From bread to cakes to cookies, almost every recipe calls for eggs. Without them, Eder notes the bakery’s offerings wouldn’t be the same. As egg prices climb, the team at Norma’s has made the difficult decision to remove some of their most popular items from the menu.
"I know the bakery is not making the profit it's supposed to, but we’re holding on for our employees, and I don’t think customers have noticed," Eder says.
Despite this, the bakery has kept the prices of their remaining sweets unchanged for customers. However, behind the scenes, the impact is clear. Eder explains that Norma's buys nine boxes of 17 dozen eggs every week.
Recently, his bill shocked him.
"It was $152, and today I went to get two boxes, which were $162 each," he shares. "In just over a week, the price went up by $10. I don't think this is going to go down anytime soon."
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, egg prices have soared in the past few years. In January 2020, consumers paid, on average, about $1.50 for a dozen eggs. Today, that cost has jumped to around $5 per dozen, which is an increase of nearly $3.50 in just five years.
To stay afloat, Eder is also purchasing other ingredients, such as jam and sugar at a lower price to offset the impact of the egg price spike.
"We just have to sit down again and think of a new plan," he says, expressing concern over whether the prices will continue to rise.
As local businesses like Norma's continue to adapt to rising costs, they hope for a return to more stable prices in the future. In the meantime, they’re doing everything they can to keep serving their community.
“I think this is a time that, you know, the support has to come in. The community, because it's hard times, it just feels like it's hard for everybody and we got to stick together,” adds Eder.
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