Family run bakery Stacey’s Bakery has reported what it is calling surprisingly health business levels in spite of fears that the cost-of-living crisis would cause consumers to cut back on their favourite treats.
The bakery, which has stores in Ilkeston, Heanor and Eastwood in the UK, believes that its cakes, cream buns and other sweet treats are being viewed as affordable indulgences as opposed to a non-essential expenditure.
The company has also been surprised to witness substantial increases in sales of a number of its popular lines in the past year and puts this phenomenon down to its competitive pricing.
“Like most local businesses, we’ve been extremely conscious that our customers are facing big challenges due to the cost-of-living crisis,” said David Stacey, Managing Director of Stacey’s Bakery. “But the main feedback we seem to be getting currently is what good value we are. We’ve had lots of comments recently saying how much cheaper we are than other bakeries, which is always heartening.
“Lots of workmen tend to come in for a coffee and a cake, are they are often surprised at how cheap our products are.”
Most of the sweet treats at Stacey’s Bakery are on sale for under one pound. Only cream cakes tip over that mark due to price increases on cream over the past year.
Notably, it is selling more and more of its current best-selling cream cake, the Alpine – an iced, sweet bun filled with fresh cream and a blob of jam.
Sales of gingerbread products are also flying, as the company sells between 2000-2500 gingerbread items per week across its four stores.
Other traditional favourites like flapjacks, congress tarts, egg custards and seasonal products made for Christmas and Valentine’s Day have outstripped expectations. Mince pies have become a popular treat all year around.
“There’s always a demand for our mince pies. We have to make them throughout the year, even at the height of summer,” added David. “We all need something to look forward to and, with financial pressures from almost every corner at the moment, our customers are still flocking to our stores because I think they see us as an affordable indulgence.
“While they may have scrimped on their energy usage at home and maybe been forced to postpone their annual holiday, there’s hopefully always room in the budget for a cake!”
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Caitlin Gittins
Editor, International Bakery
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