Shea Simmons
We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but yes, the cost of pizza might be increasing. But it’s not just pizza. A core ingredient in the popular dish is what could drive up the prices of a multitude of dishes.
Due to drought conditions in California, there’s an impending tomato shortage. Yes, that could affect the cost of everything from pizza to salsa.
California produces 25% of the world’s tomato crop and is the leader in tomato production. This includes canned, dehydrated, paste, puree, ketchup, and more. With dry conditions affecting yields, there’s a shortage potential which would affect not just the cost of those individual products but also the prices of things that routinely utilize them—like pizza.
The drought isn’t the only reason for the potential shortage, though. This year, there’s a request for 12.2 million tons of tomatoes among contractors, and that’s a 10% increase from last year. Take that request for more supply, add in rising fuel and labor costs, and you’ve got a more expensive product. For those who use them, this means that tomatoes could become too expensive to afford or just not be stockable.
Some major companies, like Heinz, have protocols in place to prevent a disruption to their supply chain, but that might not be the case for every brand, restaurant, or grocery store.
What does that mean for you? Unfortunately, you’ll want to anticipate a rise in the cost of tomatoes and tomato-based products throughout the rest of 2022. While this isn’t great news, strategic grocery budgeting might help if you’re craving pizza.
