High Butter Prices Threaten Delicious Food
By Melissa McEwen in Food on Jul 24, 2014 6:00PM
Bloomberg reports butter prices have increased 83 percent in a year—a 16-year high—and causing chefs, bakers, and butter-lovers serious worry.
The main cause is increased exports of American butter to other countries. Other factors are at play as well, including increased demand for ice cream, which means many farmers are selling their cream for the frozen treat instead of turning it into butter.
This is bad news for Americans, who love butter more than ever (even putting it in our coffee). Sandra Holl of Floriole (1220 W. Webster Ave.) told Bloomberg she is paying 39 percent more for butter than she did in January, which has a high impact on her costs since she says it's in "everything we make."
The good news is that the price is likely to go down as the world's dairy farmers increase production to meet butter demand. In the meantime, Holl has to endure the prices, as she says butter is "what makes everything good."