Some Bronx bodegas increase cost of breakfast sandwiches amid egg price hike
Fernando Marte, a local store owner and president of the Bodega And Small Business Association, says he’s had to increase the cost of the New York breakfast classic by $1.
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Next time you order a bacon-egg-and-cheese, you’re gonna need some extra cheddar.
Bronxites can blame the bird flu for the “egg-stra” cost of their breakfast sandwich at the local bodega. The disease has now been detected in all 50 states, forcing farmers to kill millions of chickens and increasing the price of eggs.
The average price per dozen nationwide hit $4.15 in December. That’s not quite as high as the $4.82 record set two years ago, but the Agriculture Department predicts prices will soar another 20% this year.
Shoppers in The Bronx report already paying more than double the average price, or worse, finding empty shelves in their local grocery stores. The cost of a BEC varies depending on where you are in the city, but most New Yorkers tell News 12 they expect anywhere between $4-$6.
Fernando Marte, a local store owner and president of the Bodega And Small Business Association, says he’s had to increase the cost of the New York breakfast classic by $1.
“The jumbo eggs, we have it here for $12.49. In December, it was $4.99.” Marte said, adding that the rising cost of supply leaves businesses with no other choice but to charge more in order to make a profit.
Most bodegas will buy their supply in cases containing several dozen eggs. Marte told News 12 that he’s currently paying more than $100 per case than he did a year ago. It’s not a decision he wants to make especially given many of his customers in Norwood are low-income.
“Who pays the price at the end? It’s the community,” Marte said.
With Easter on the way, New Yorkers may need to turn to other bodega options.
