The cost of food is still incredibly high, leaving some people accessing food banks, so the gift of food might be on many people’s Christmas lists this year.
The latest data from Statistics Canada shows there is little relief at the grocery store with prices climbing at a faster annual rate last month and up 11.4 per cent from a year ago.
Because of this, food has become a hot commodity and people may need it more than other traditional gifts.
“We have so many requests for gift baskets or many packages also for gift cards and people asking what kind of gifts they can give to families,” said Daria Zozulia, Sausage Makers store manager.
Zozulia is from Ukraine and she said her business has definitely increased this holiday season in comparison with previous years.
“I’ve noticed lots of families buying for newcomers from Ukraine as well because we have lots of immigrants coming down, plus we have lots of ethnic products from Ukraine, Germany, Poland. We noticed that it’s increased,” she said.
And it’s not just Zozulia who has noticed a difference. Ian Smith is a farmer and he told 680 CJOB that he has had more people this year ordering sides of pork as a Christmas gift.
“Why not buy a side of pork for Christmas for your kids or for your parents or something like that,” Smith said.
Smith said a man who has a construction business up north called him because he wanted to buy his employees some pork and so he bought five pigs.
Unfortunately, he won’t be able to get them until February but that’s fine with him and fine with his employees, Smith added.
“That’s kind of touching to know that you’re putting food on somebody’s table at that special time of the year.”
And a similar situation is happening at High Tea Bakery in the city and according to owner Belinda Bigold, they have about a week’s worth of baking going out each day compared with regular volumes.
“This year the order volumes were so high that we actually had to cut off all December orders on Nov. 20,” she said.
The bakery is used to being very busy come Christmas time but Bigold thought the demand would go down because of increased costs. That hasn’t been the case and pre-orders have been taking over walk-in business.
“Last week alone we had over 6,000 hand-decorated cookies go out in two days and not one of them was for the front counter,” she said.
“So these volumes, there’s only five people working in my kitchen.
“And that’s just one kind of cookie, that doesn’t even start on imperial cookies or shortbreads or macaroons.”
— with files from Global’s Marney Blunt
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