SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The average cost of gas is nearing $6 due to global oil costs and regional supply constraints, and the pain at the pump is impacting local businesses like Izola Bakery in East Village.
Co-founder and executive chef Jeffrey Brown said the bakery could see the process for making its flaky croissants cost more if high fuel prices stay high.
"Everybody who gets a delivery or makes a delivery is going to feel these fuel charge increases, you know, from our food supplies, from our construction materials, all of it," Brown said.
From tariffs announced a year ago to gas and oil prices increasing due to the war in Iran, running the bakery is becoming difficult.
"We've been really squeezing and working it, but always maintaining that quality. And so now it's like woosh woosh woosh," Brown said.
Brown received a letter 11 days ago stating the cost to ship materials for renovations at his dough factory in City Heights would increase. He said the cost for a semi-truck delivery is $4,000, and the letter shows the West Coast will be hit the hardest.
"That the cost of delivery for our construction materials was going to increase $1,000 a load per load," Brown said.
The bakery hauls in supplies every day, including buying flour by the pallet.
"We haul stuff in every day. We take, we get flour and buy the pallet, and I am very confident that we're going to get a note any day saying your flour delivery cost is going up," Brown said.
As things change quickly, the team is reacting to keep quality the same by sourcing some products domestically.
"We're sourcing some products domestically. We now buy our milk in the county, and I have to say it tastes better, you know, and it's a little bit cheaper," Brown said.
The bakery is named after Brown's grandmother, Izola Eaton.
"It's named after my grandmother, Izola Eaton. She had one of those kitchens where it was full of people," Brown said.
Despite the financial pressure, Brown hopes the bakery will continue rising under the heat.
"We'll figure out how to get the food to you. You guys come and see us, and everything will be great," Brown said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
