A family run bakery is reporting surprisingly healthy business levels despite fears that the cost-of-living crisis would cause customers to cut back on their favourite treats.
Stacey’s Bakery, which has stores in Ilkeston, Heanor and Eastwood, believes that its cakes, cream buns and other sweet treats are actually being viewed as an “affordable indulgence” rather than a non-essential expenditure.
The firm has even been surprised to see substantial increases in sales of a number of its popular lines in the past year.
It puts this unexpected phenomenon down to the company’s competitive pricing, which is beating the prices offered by its competition.
David Stacey, managing director of Stacey’s Bakery, said: “Like most local businesses, we’ve been extremely conscious that our customers are facing big challenges due to the cost-of-living crisis.
“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. It is generally only cream cakes that tip over that mark due to the price increases on cream over the past year.
Nevertheless, the firm is selling more and more of its current best-selling cream cake, the Alpine – a delicious iced sweet bun that is filled with fresh cream and a blob of jam.
Sales of gingerbread products – created using the company’s own closely guarded secret recipe – are also flying, with Stacey’s selling between 2,000-2,500 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 also outstripped expectations. And mince pies have become a hugely popular treat all year round.
David said: “There’s always a demand for our mince pies. We have to make them throughout the year, even at the height of summer.
“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!”
To discover more about the store locations, opening times and products on sale at Stacey’s Bakery, visit www.staceysbakery.co.uk
