Food Prices Set To Soar As Bread Could Rise 15p

[Realistbear]

http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/07082007/140/disas...-2007-food.html

Financial News

Tuesday August 7, 12:09 PM

Disasters 2007: But What About Our Food?

Food prices are likely to rise as the impact of this year's devastating floods reaches supermarkets. And now there is concern the foot and mouth outbreak could also force up the cost of meat if restrictions on moving cattle, pigs and sheep remain...../

The Processed Vegetable Growers' Association has estimated that 40% of the country's pea crop has been decimated.

..../

And while Britain struggles with floods, drought has killed crops across Spain, Turkey and Greece, pushing prices up too.

Here, farmers whose wheat and barley could be saved are battling through waterlogged fields to harvest it. It takes longer, overtime has to be paid, and so costs rise.

So far little of the increase has been passed on to shoppers.

But Michael Fordham, from the National Farmers' Union (000910.KS - news) , does not think that can last.

He predicts that an 80p loaf could go up by as much as 15p by the end of the year.

The chances of Merv seeing the rate of inflation at 2% later this year is so ridiculous that it beggars belief that the BoE still refer to the CPI as anything other than a joke. It is turning the muppets into a laughing stock.

[Hard-up]

The trouble is, that 80p loaf is the month-old, freeze-dried, reconstituted rubbish that comes in the supermarkets own brand packaging.

If you're in the habit of buying loaves that actually contain real bread, you're already paying £1 and up

[Leonard Hatred]

Ah, the Chorleywood Bread Process - yum!

[eightiesgirly]

The trouble is, that 80p loaf is the month-old, freeze-dried, reconstituted rubbish that comes in the supermarkets own brand packaging.

If you're in the habit of buying loaves that actually contain real bread, you're already paying £1 and up

Was just going to say that. We pay over a pound for bread and the price of potatoes seems to be rising too. I've gone back to my old ways and broken out the breadmaker, be planting spuds next.

[redgenieuk]

The trouble is, that 80p loaf is the month-old, freeze-dried, reconstituted rubbish that comes in the supermarkets own brand packaging.

If you're in the habit of buying loaves that actually contain real bread, you're already paying £1 and up

I didn't know they did that! I buy nice bread because it is one of the finest things to eat! Do you have a link all about freeze dried bread?

[cynic]

If you're in the habit of buying loaves that actually contain real bread, you're already paying £1 and up

Bread that contains 'real bread' - there's a thing!

I can't remember when I last bought a supermarket loaf.

Here's a tip. The panasonic SD255 breadmaker is a gem, I've had its predecessor, the 253 running non-stop for 3 years, foolproof, fantastic bread, chuck in ingredients and switch on. For a family of 4, I'd say it will pay for itself within 3 months. And the smell when it's baking!! - there's a risk you'll want to eat nothing but bread.

Chuck in

Yeast

15 ozs flour (Tescos/sainsbury's etc. strong wholemeal or mix with strong white to your taste £1 for 1.5 kg bag.)

1 tbs sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 oz butter (or olive oil)

water.

each loaf comes in at approx 30p.

That's it!! It's so good, i'd make it even if it cost me as much as the factory bread. Once you've done it, you'll tell all your friends....and you'll thank me for letting you know.

(edit: I'm absolutely nothing to do with panasonic!!!..)

Edited August 7, 2007 by cynic

[Jason]

I remember the days selling supermarket bread at a loss leading 15p a loaf (when I worked in a supermarket)!

[Converted Lurker]

I remember the days selling supermarket bread at a loss leading 15p a loaf (when I worked in a supermarket)!

Did you have a flat cap. an old bike, and delivered it humming the new world symphony? I feel let down by this thread as no one used the phrase 'fiat' bread

[Jason]

Did you have a flat cap. an old bike, and delivered it humming the new world symphony? I feel let down by this thread as no one used the phrase 'fiat' bread

No, only 8 years ago. Every friday night someone bought shed loads of the stuff for the old peoples home.

[Realistbear]

Was just going to say that. We pay over a pound for bread and the price of potatoes seems to be rising too. I've gone back to my old ways and broken out the breadmaker, be planting spuds next.

Snap. Just been given a nice Hitachi breadmaker and we are loving the fresh stuff now! We have an enormous garden and the previous owner developed some nice raised vegetable beds and we planted our first lot of spuds last Spring and have recently been digging them up and find the taste is better than the chemicalised stuff in the shops! We have started growing tomatoes in the greenhouse too. Bought the book on veggies and will be growing a lot of our own stuff from now on--a lot of fun and very satisfying.

[Hard-up]

I remember the days selling supermarket bread at a loss leading 15p a loaf (when I worked in a supermarket)!

A quick flick of the Federation of Bakers publications list suggests that the 'supermarket brand' bread is still a loss-leader.

http://www.bakersfederation.org.uk/publications.aspx

Unfortunately, that report costs £80

[Hard-up]

Yeast

15 ozs flour (Tescos/sainsbury's etc. strong wholemeal or mix with strong white to your taste £1 for 1.5 kg bag.)

1 tbs sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 oz butter (or olive oil)

water.

each loaf comes in at approx 30p.

Does that include your energy cost?

I understand bread needs quite a bit of heat energy. Is a one-loaf-at-a-time process a bad economy in this respect?

[eightiesgirly]

Snap. Just been given a nice Hitachi breadmaker and we are loving the fresh stuff now! We have an enormous garden and the previous owner developed some nice raised vegetable beds and we planted our first lot of spuds last Spring and have recently been digging them up and find the taste is better than the chemicalised stuff in the shops! We have started growing tomatoes in the greenhouse too. Bought the book on veggies and will be growing a lot of our own stuff from now on--a lot of fun and very satisfying.

I think a lot of people will be growing their own veg soon, as a child my dad grew everything on an allotment, I wonder if getting one now would be a good investment, anyone have any idea how to go about it these days? My garden wouldn't fit a decent sunflower in, it's about as big as a flower pot. I think it was a back yard in a former life.

[Smell the Fear]

Does that include your energy cost?

I understand bread needs quite a bit of heat energy. Is a one-loaf-at-a-time process a bad economy in this respect?

That's what I was wondering, it's probably 50p per loaf for the electricity. Factor in the time taken and you might as well just pay £1 for a nice loaf.

To be honest, a loaf of bread lasts me a whole week, keeps fresh in the fridge. I have noticed them going up from around £1 to about £1,30 for the nice wholegrain sort that I favour, although I switched to Sainsbury's own brand version of the same thing which is excellent and only 95p.

They also have freshly baked organic loaves for about 80p or so, and they will slice it for you with their fancy machine if you ask nicely.

[Nationalist]

On the plus side, the country is about to be flooded with cheap meat as (a) people will avoid it for fear of catching F&M disease, and ( the Europeans won't be taking our exports any day soon.

It's an ill wind that sends lots of fillet steaks my way.

[cynic]

Does that include your energy cost?

I understand bread needs quite a bit of heat energy. Is a one-loaf-at-a-time process a bad economy in this respect?

It uses 500W. The full wholemeal cycle is 5 hours but you can time set it so that the bread fumes are wafting at reveille. A lot of the time is 'resting' for the yeast while the baking is only the last 3/4 hours and the motor does intermittent mixing. I'd be surprised if it uses as much as .75 kW-hour - not sure what that costs, but it's not a lot. Also there are 2 larger loaf settings (more flour obviously!!) so you'd make more economies there if you wanted; it depends on your eating rate, but I freeze mine after slicing. It's brilliant. There's also a compartment for seeds or fruit or whatever and it makes italian breads to die for apparantly (haven't tried these yet). Seriously, get one of these and you'll never buy another loaf - unless it's a proper french baguette you're wanting....

[Hard-up]

It uses 500W. The full wholemeal cycle is 5 hours but you can time set it so that the bread fumes are wafting at reveille. A lot of the time is 'resting' for the yeast while the baking is only the last 3/4 hours and the motor does intermittent mixing. I'd be surprised if it uses as much as .75 kW-hour

I had to look it up but it's about 2kW/hr. (Leccy heating elements are always juicy)

That would be about 20p per run. Not too bad.

[Fingers]

Does that include your energy cost?

I understand bread needs quite a bit of heat energy. Is a one-loaf-at-a-time process a bad economy in this respect?

The heat generated during baking will warm the house up, so should net out against the central heating costs if you have a thermostat controlled system

Fingers

[cynic]

I had to look it up but it's about 2kW/hr. (Leccy heating elements are always juicy)

That would be about 20p per run. Not too bad.

Right, even at the 2kw rating it's still good value but the rivetted plate on the back says 500-550w so divide your costs by 4-ish.

...not forgetting about the quality of the bread...

.........and the smell!....

[Cogs]

I think a lot of people will be growing their own veg soon, as a child my dad grew everything on an allotment, I wonder if getting one now would be a good investment, anyone have any idea how to go about it these days? My garden wouldn't fit a decent sunflower in, it's about as big as a flower pot. I think it was a back yard in a former life.

Join the back of the queue!

Actually it depends where you live, national picture is massive queues in some places, vacant plots in others.

Contact the council (should only cost 20-odd quid a year, the "investment" is in backbreaking toil and horse manure!).

[Hard-up]

Right, even at the 2kw rating it's still good value but the rivetted plate on the back says 500-550w so divide your costs by 4-ish.

I was working on 0.5kW (500W) for 4 hours = 2kW/h (0.5kW*4hr)

That's where the 20p comes from.

[cynic]

I was working on 0.5kW (500W) for 4 hours = 2kW/h (0.5kW*4hr)

That's where the 20p comes from.

Ah - but you said 2kw/hr (which reads 2kw per hour), that's not the same as 2kw-hours.

Just to recap. The heating element is only on for 3/4 (that's three quarters of an hour not 3-4hrs!) -that's the total baking time. Otherwise it's a heavily geared motor which turns a very slow paddle for the dough-mixing. That motor is on for a very short total period over the 4 hour pre-baking phase. Clearly the full half-Kw is only called on for the heating element (total consumtion for baking = 0.5x0.75 units; for mixing, not a lot!).

I'd confidently stick to my half-unit of electricity for the total deal.

Are you an anit-bread-machine propogandist working for the wholesale bakers by any chance?

Remember; Smell!, Taste!, PRICE!!!!

And to Mr smell who is worried about the time it takes.....2 minutes to pour the ingredients.....

[huw]

Does that include your energy cost?

I understand bread needs quite a bit of heat energy. Is a one-loaf-at-a-time process a bad economy in this respect?

Average consumption of a bread machine is 600W. Say it takes 4 hours to knead, rise and bake, so 2.4kwH, which currently costs 20p or so. It's not just the baking that consumes energy, kneading is hard work!

It still works out much cheaper than a commercial of equivalent quality. Personally I use my Panasonic for kneading only, rise at room temp overnight, and then bake the loaf in the oven -- which also costs 20p, but which can cook other things at the same time.

[cynic]

Average consumption of a bread machine is 600W. Say it takes 4 hours to knead, rise and bake, so 2.4kwH, which currently costs 20p or so. It's not just the baking that consumes energy, kneading is hard work!

It still works out much cheaper than a commercial of equivalent quality. Personally I use my Panasonic for kneading only, rise at room temp overnight, and then bake the loaf in the oven -- which also costs 20p, but which can cook other things at the same time.

I was under the impression that the rivetted plate bore the MAXimum power rating - this so appropriate fusing could be selected.

I'm in transit now, but since this topic seems to be even more interesting than HPC, I'll do a consumption check when next I use the breadmaker. I'd be very surprised if the full 500 watts are required by the paddle because of the heavy gearing and, in any case, the paddle is running for a tiny fraction of the first 80% of the cycle.

But enough of this tiresome conjecture!!

Will report back with reliable figures after consulting my meter. (everything else off, of course).

[Saving For a Space Ship]

The heat generated during baking will warm the house up, so should net out against the central heating costs if you have a thermostat controlled system

Fingers

How about using it with a Japanese 'kotatsu' table for full energy efficiency (replacing the heater on the underside of table with it)

I've always thought kotatsu's were a good eco-idea, sadly too many western folks just wack up central heating .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kotatsu

Edited August 7, 2007 by Saving For a Space Ship