RALEIGH, N.C. — Most people have a dozen eggs in their fridge, but the price it takes to put them there is much higher now. Rising inflation prices have made a big impact on households and small businesses across the state. Many are relying on savings to get them through tough times, while others are closing their doors. Food staples, like eggs, have skyrocketed in price.
Shanae Bryant is feeling those impacts at Madame B’s Bakery in Raleigh. Her mom taught her how to cook when she was just 9 years old. She opened the bakery five years ago and puts her heart and soul into every dessert.
“The community loves Madame B's Bakery,” Bryant said. “They show up for us daily. And that support, it means the world to us.”
But the past few months haven’t been easy. With inflation on the rise, prices for essential ingredients have skyrocketed.
“Eggs went from $9.68 to now $30 for that same box of eggs,” Bryant said.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows a 65% increase in price from December 2023 and a 180% increase from December 2020. Bryant says she goes through 40 dozen eggs a week as well as 100 pounds of sugar. But skimping on ingredients isn’t a solution.
“They know what ingredients have been put in,” Shanae Bryant’s mother, Sharon Bryant, said. “For example, if you don't have the proper amount of eggs in your cake, when you cut into it you have crumbs. You won't be able to keep it on the spoon.”
To make up for rising costs, Shanae Bryant hasn’t taken a paycheck in months.
“My main priority is make sure my staff gets paid,” Bryant said. “And in order to pay last week, I had to borrow from my kid's college funds to keep my bakery afloat.”
However, she’s keeping a positive attitude. This isn’t the first time she’s seen the impact inflation can have. In 2023 the community rallied around Madame B’s, and they were able to turn things around. She’s confident they can do it again.
“I’m optimistic things are going to turn around,” Bryant said. “We're not going to close our door. The integrity of my product will not change for inflation.”
The U.S. inflation calculator says the average price of food in the country rose by 2.5% in 2024. The USDA expects it to rise another 2.2% this year.
