Cheez-It price increase?

Anyone else notice the price on these jumping up significantly in the last couple of weeks? (If you were wondering, I'm not proud that I purchase Cheez-Its frequently enough to be able to pin down this narrow of a timeframe.) The pricing scheme of these has always been sort of peculiar: the regular-sized 13.7 oz. box is usually around $5 at retail, but they're usually "marked down" to around $2.50 apiece every other week at Dominick's and all the time at Target. I noticed a shocking 2-for-$7 "deal" at Dominick's this past weekend, but I chalked that up to it being Dominick's. But I just checked the price on Amazon, and they've skyrocketed from 4-for-$10 a few weeks ago to 4-for-$18! What's going on?

If this is a permanent thing, it might be the incentive I need to quit, or at least pick up a more affordable vice, like smoking or drinking gin at my desk.

ndgbucktown wrote:Anyone else notice the price on these jumping up significantly in the last couple of weeks? (If you were wondering, I'm not proud that I purchase Cheez-Its frequently enough to be able to pin down this narrow of a timeframe.) The pricing scheme of these has always been sort of peculiar: the regular-sized 13.7 oz. box is usually around $5 at retail, but they're usually "marked down" to around $2.50 apiece every other week at Dominick's and all the time at Target. I noticed a shocking 2-for-$7 "deal" at Dominick's this past weekend, but I chalked that up to it being Dominick's. But I just checked the price on Amazon, and they've skyrocketed from 4-for-$10 a few weeks ago to 4-for-$18! What's going on?

If this is a permanent thing, it might be the incentive I need to quit, or at least pick up a more affordable vice, like smoking or drinking gin at my desk.

Krusty: The animal we made it out of has become extinct.

Homer: The cow?

Krusty: No, think smaller….and more legs

Food inflation is noticeable across the world due primarily to weather and crop failures. There's an article in this week's Businessweek which discusses this.

Plus transportation costs-fuel is sky high and getting worse.

Elfin wrote:Plus transportation costs-fuel is sky high and getting worse.

Up about 20% over the past nine months.

Right...it's up 15% in the last two weeks!

I'm curious - Cheez-its are a Kelloggs product while Goldfish crackers (essentially the same) are a Campbell's soup product. Is the increase the same for both?

Sometimes, you just have to look at substitutes.

I was looking at a box of Triscuits at Jewel over the Christmas break - $4.39. The same box of the Aldi's store brand was $1.79 ... so why not give it a try. It was just as good as the original and as good as the Trader Joe's version.

Most of the food manufacturers are passing some pretty steep price increases right now as they think consumers will accept it. It they do, prices will remain high. If they seek alternatives like generics or private labels, they start moving off of their price increases.

ndg, haven't been tracking Cheez-Its but I have noticed the same thing for Club crackers. Best price I see - sometimes - is $2.50 at Wal-Mart. I too have noticed considerably higher prices advertised as sales - like the (snort!) 2 for $7 at Dominick's the other day. All I can suggest is to keep an eagle eye out for $2.50 or less a box and buy in bulk.

Actually, I can suggest one other thing, a nice little tip a relative turned me on to. White Cheddar Cheez-Its, aside from making classier-looking happy hour nibbles than the regular orange ones, go great with beer, white wine, and gin & tonic - among, I'm sure, other things I haven't tried yet.

ndgbucktown wrote:The pricing scheme of these has always been sort of peculiar: the regular-sized 13.7 oz. box is usually around $5 at retail, but they're usually "marked down" to around $2.50 apiece every other week at Dominick's and all the time at Target.

Smaller boxes this week on sale at Fairplay's. With three 9 oz. boxes for five bucks, that comes out around $2.50 for a regular box.

see the bottom of the page at:

http://www.fairplayfoods.com/do/viewAd?id=5&pageId=8#Ad

Ron

RonJS wrote:Smaller boxes this week on sale at Fairplay's. With three 9 oz. boxes for five bucks, that comes out around $2.50 for a regular box.

A good tip for anyone with convenient access to one of their locations.

jlawrence01 wrote:Sometimes, you just have to look at substitutes.

A fair point, but with these, at least for me, there is no substitute. I've tried several times to enjoy Cheese Nips, the Nabisco equivalent, and they're just not close. I have a colleague who's tried the Aldi version and has a similar report. Cheez-Its get the cheese flavor and the saltiness exactly right.

I will give the Aldi Triscuits a shot the next time I'm in an Aldi. I do like the TJ's version.

HI,

If you get disgusted enough with the price, you could try making crackers yourself. I would imagine Cheez-It's have their roots in Southern cheese straws.

You may want to try this Cheddar Cheese Cracker recipe. However I suggest you emulate the techniques in this soda cracker recipe.

Regards,

ndgbucktown wrote:A fair point, but with these, at least for me, there is no substitute. I've tried several times to enjoy Cheese Nips, the Nabisco equivalent, and they're just not close. I have a colleague who's tried the Aldi version and has a similar report. Cheez-Its get the cheese flavor and the saltiness exactly right.

I will give the Aldi Triscuits a shot the next time I'm in an Aldi. I do like the TJ's version.

Actually, they have changed the formula on occasion. The current edition tends to be crumbier and saltier than its predecessor.

I think that the Aldi and TJ products are made by the same company.

I noticed the same huge price increase for Pepperidge Farms Goldfish. Have to catch a sale on these.

If the price is this volatile, I think it's time for a Cheez-Its commodities market. You could then write a derivatives contract to hedge your risk on rising prices. We could then package Cheez-Its futures in with other, counter-cyclical snacks - Funions, Wolf Chilli, Pork Rinds, and Rice Cakes, for example - into a diversified snack security, which would theoretically be less volatile over time, and... Holy s**t, where the f**k did all my food go?