Xmas bakery treats.

[JKD]

Been to my usual 'local' bakers this morning, to get a loaf of bread [Danish] and some cakes [love a nice cake with my coffee 😁].

Now, there usual fayre is quite reasonably priced seeing as the quality is A1, but their Xmas stuff is extortionately overpriced ! 😲

Chocolate yule log,,,, £14

Xmas fruit cake with marzipan and icing, very small [3 bites] piece,,,, £2+

I stopped looking at that point !!!

There's a rectangular Xmas cake, which the small 'pieces' are from, a round Xmas cake, mince pies, and a couple of other things.

I will name them, Ayres, in Blackfen,,,, it's a long time existing family bakers with three shops [which at least one member will know of]. I've used them for many years and you can't knock the quality, but these prices will be putting many people off buying them surely ?!

I don't normally moan about this sort of thing, and I know ingredients costs and overheads have gone up, but come on !?

Anyone else know of similar ? 🤷‍♂️

Anyone got any positive experiences ?

[oldypigeonpopper]

Hello, Local bakers are ok if you have one or a Market Stall as we have in Town but my favourite cake at the mo is Lidl Carrot for £2,25 which i will buy tomorrow as my Birthday cake🤔👍😄

Edited 5 hours ago by oldypigeonpopper

[old'un]

serves you right for living in the south east.

[JKD]

16 minutes ago, old'un said:

serves you right for living in the south east.

Hahaha 😆  I can assure you, their Xmas stuff prices have nothing to do with being in the south east 😅 🤣 They are definitely taking the proverbial P ! 🙄

All their normal stuff is great and not way overpriced,,,, in fact, for the quality, very well priced 👍

Amateur will be along soon to comment, I hope. 😉

[old'un]

Just now, JKD said:

Hahaha 😆  I can assure you, their Xmas stuff prices have nothing to do with being in the south east 😅 🤣 They are definitely taking the proverbial P ! 🙄

All their normal stuff is great and not way overpriced,,,, in fact, for the quality, very well priced 👍

Amateur will be along soon to comment, I hope. 😉

Has Aldi or Lidl not reached the south east yet?

[clangerman]

stores are robbing us every day gave up biscs and cake long ago as price ruins the taste 

[JKD]

Just now, old'un said:

Has Aldi or Lidl not reached the south east yet?

Never heard of them 🤔 😆🤣

ps. They are opening up everywhere ! 🙄

[amateur]

Blackfen Ayres are just up the road from me.

Many years ago, I did some work for a major bakery group, looking at their costings and costing methods and what came out (amongst other findings) was that birthday cakes, Christmas cakes and decorated cakes were almost impossible to make at an economic cost to sell at a price that the market would bear, so they were all produced as loss-leaders. Similarly, their dedicated bread, pastry and cake shops all made much less profit than those with a cafe attached.

The group soon sold off their shops.

[JKD]

48 minutes ago, amateur said:

Blackfen Ayres are just up the road from me.

Many years ago, I did some work for a major bakery group, looking at their costings and costing methods and what came out (amongst other findings) was that birthday cakes, Christmas cakes and decorated cakes were almost impossible to make at an economic cost to sell at a price that the market would bear, so they were all produced as loss-leaders. Similarly, their dedicated bread, pastry and cake shops all made much less profit than those with a cafe attached.

The group soon sold off their shops.

Thought you'd know the shop 😉 Do you ever use them ?

You talk about loss-leaders,,,, Ayres Xmas stuff definitely isn't that ! I do usually treat myself to something from their Xmas range, ignoring the price, but this year ? No way ! Now I know they are a small business with three shops and they have to make decent profits, but the prices for these things was/is extortionate to the extreme ! I saw them and nearly said a naughty word out loud 🤭😆

[amateur]

When we literally lived around the corner, nearly 50 years ago, we would always buy our bread there.

Nowadays, I bake my own in the Panasonic.

The comment about loss-leaders referred to the national bakery that I was reporting on. Ayres obviously charge according to the costs, which are high with fancy cakes.

If you look at what a patisserie charges in France, you will see that it is the same.