Need a Little Sugar?

It’s interesting when dinner conversation is the topic of sugar and it’s not what you’re having for dessert…it’s the price of sugar. I was clueless to the fact that the price of sugar [on the world markets] increased 72% in the last six months as well as why it increased. According to a Los Angeles Times article two few weeks ago, “The futures price of sugar traded on world markets closed at 22.2 cents a pound, down about a penny from the previous day but still up 72% in six months. Weather problems in the sugar-producing regions of India, the diversion of Brazilian sugar cane to produce ethanol, and a growing global sweet tooth are behind the increase, according to analysts.” So I thought it would be fun to take a look at the price of sugar in Atlanta grocery stores this week. The best value of course is the 50 lb. bag at Costco but the only person buying that much would be commercial bakers. Okay, I’m not going to stock pile sugar in fear that I won’t have any for my Christmas cookie baking come December but I did buy a 10 lbs. bag at Costco because we were out of sugar.

                                 Publix Kroger Costco
5 lbs. Private Label     $2.39   $2.39    n/a
5 lbs. Dixie Crystals     $2.89   $2.29*  n/a
5 lbs. Domino              $2.99   $2.99    n/a
10 lbs. Private Label   $4.69   $5.69    n/a
10 lbs. Domino                                    $4.69
25 lbs. PL/Dixie             n/a     $14.19 $10.49 (Costco equates to $2.10 per 5 lbs.)
50 lbs. Dixie                  n/a       n/a    $18.99 (equates to $1.89 per 5 lbs.)

*with Kroger card

Click here to see full Los Angeles Times article Sugar price increases put food makers on alert.