Matzos...why are the prices so high? Is there something going on I don't know about?

[bunnyr]

I have been shopping at our local supermarkets up here in Nashua NH and in northern MA. The two brands of Matzos on sale here are Streit's and Manischewitz,

Last year they were consistently in th $2.75 to $3 range. Not this year!! They are between $3.75 and $4.25!

COME ON!!! They're *MATZOS*!! They can't suddenly have gone up like this unless there's some major reason I don't know about! What is this reason?

....And keep in mind that many of these matzos aren't even Kosher!!

RSW

[queenscook]

What do you mean that they're not kosher? Streit's and Manischewitz are most certainly kosher brands of matzoh.

[DeisCane]

I assume the OP meant they weren't KFP.

[queenscook]

I considered that, but then wondered why anyone would be shopping for Pesach in January. I know some people joke that they start thinking about Pesach as soon as Tu b'Shvat has passed, but I didn't think too many were really serious about it.

[cheesecake17]

Lots of people (kosher keepers and not) eat matzah all year round... coworkers always grab my stash of leftover boxes after Pesach. They say they eat it like a cracker.

[queenscook]

Yes, I do know that. But DeisCane posited that the OP meant KFP when s/he said "many of these matzos aren't even Kosher." However, KFP status shouldn't matter if you were just eating them year round.

[SoCal Mother]

Our local supermarket told me that their Pesach stuff will go out end of January. Matza prices are highest when the display goes up and then the supermarkets will run specials as it gets closer to Pesach.

If you live in a community with fewer stores, get the stuff that runs out (ketchup, Sweet N Low, margarine if they have it at all) and wait on the rest.

[GilaB]

That's crazy. It's a leap year this year, so Pesach is nearly three months away - why would they want to sacrifice shelf space for so long?

[SoCal Mother]

The same reason they put it out before Rosh Hashana. They hope we will buy it.

[queenscook]

Many large supermarkets now seem to have a seasonal aisle, where they go from Halloween candies to Christmas stuff to Valentine's Day, etc., so those stores aren't really sacrificing shelf space anyway.

[bunnyr]

I wasn't clear.
What I really meant is that S and M are selling Matzos that wouldn't normally be used during the high holidays at this current time. I didn't mean to say they weren't Kosher brands.

Wheat prices have doubled you say... OK, I'll go with that.

We eat matzos year round; I dunno, i just like what they taste like, that's all.

RSW

[goodhealthgourmet]

it's not just matzo, it's the *ingredient* required to make matzo...the price of wheat has nearly doubled in the past year.

[rockycat]

My local pizzeria owner just gave me a painful explanation of what has happened to the wholesale price of wheat. I think he would have been happy if his flour prices had only doubled. Yes, the cost of commodities is to blame.