Brooklyn – Shmuel usually buys 25 lbs. of the preferred Shmurah Matzoh and although his children will not be coming for the Yom Tov from Israel, which consists of 11 people, he still bought the 25 lbs. but paid considerably more than he did in 2020, the Covid Pesach.
In 2020, depending on the brand, prices ranged from $25-$35 with some exceptions like Bingo, which had some deeply discounted Matzoh. For on-line shoppers, it was $35,99 for 1 lb. of Lakewood Oat https://www.glutenfreepalace.com/, $39.99 for whole wheat ohnuts.com, $29.00 on Amazon for Keristir, Israeli Hand-Made Shmurah Matzahs $34.95 and Holyland Handmade Shmurah Matzo, $34.00. At KRM/Kollel Store, Jerusalem Hand Matzah was as low as $17.99 and as high as $46.99 for Lakewood Matzoh “Extra thin.” At Gourmet Glatt, Kerestir was at $35.99, Kestenbaum Oat Matzah $24.99, Boro Park $31.99, HolyLand $22.99, and Pupa $35.99. There were some shortages of Shatzer Matzohs which sold for $31.50 per lb. in the bakery itself.
In places like Chicago, Matzoh was cheaper this year thanks to the wide availability through the kosher pantry programs.
{Matzav.com}
Yes Matzah is expensive. However this is no different then any other seasonal business. People have a choice where to shop as well. The above indicated the high matzah prices at gourmet glatt, and a very cheap matzah at Bingo (likely not that great). There are many stores that are a happy medium between those stores. Consumers are not forced to shop at a particular store.
Matzav editor: The title of the article is: SHMURAH MATZOH PRICES SOAR: Why is Shmurah Matzoh So Expensive?
The article only says how expensive it is but doesn’t give any reason. Were you just asking the question yourself or was the article supposed to explain why?
Exactly!
satmar matzhos rutledge street (ahronis) did NOT raise the price from last year
Esrogim and shmura hand matzah’s are the biggest price gouging scams ever. The halachos of Choshen Mishpat do NOT apply to Esrogim or Matzah’s. The more of a ganiv the socher is, the bigger the mitzvah is. This nonsense about “hiddur” is only a ploy to rip off the most vulnerable gullible amongst us. Hiddur mitzvah is MY obligation, NOT some arrogant greedy lowlife ganiv.
Because unscrupulous people don’t realize Yesh Din v’Yesh DAYAN
At KRM/Kollel Store, Jerusalem Hand Matzah was as low as $17.99 and as high as $46.99 for Lakewood Matzoh “Extra thin.”
I stopped buying American made matzah a few years ago because of how much more expensive it is than Israeli matzah. And other than by the seder I use machine matzahs.
Waiting for gedolei horabonim to issue a psak that one should buy the minimum necessary for kezeisim of hand shmura, and either eat machine matzos, or avoid matzos altogether for the duration of Pesach, due to price gouging.
Watch the prices come tumbling down, when and IF that occurs.
For as long as people continue to pay for overpriced items, their prices will continue to rise.
I hate to say it but I disagree with this article. The prices are not so bad. There’s a lot more brands on the shelves which is leading to a lot more competition therefore a lot cheaper prices. There’s matza coming from EY. There’s Matza coming from the Ukraine. This product coming from a lot of other places. We saw a lot from Montreal.
The overall prices are not bad. You could still in many places in the more metropolitan Jewish areas find a pound of hand Matzas for less than $23 a pound, with good choices to choose from.
One thing that I noticed this year was that a lot more bakeries are advertising that they are making thinner matzo. Originally this was only done by chareidim in borough Park but a number of years ago they decided to out pric themselves which caused a lot of their customers to look elsewhere. Places like Shotzer, Satmar, Ukraine, are happily selling thinner matza.
Well, the Ukrainian matzah’s taste like cardboard. Bottom line: you get what you pay for. If you want great tasting fresh hand matzah’s, buy Karisterer or Boro Park factory ones. Their cost is average for name brands and they taste gishmak.
If you think their overcharging start your own bakery and show the world how cheap you can produce hand made shmurah meshaad ketzeerah matzohs.
In today’s day and age with today’s labor and market conditions, I would think twice before buying any of those cheap matzohs for the Seder.
This doesnt seem like the prices have soared. Shmura prices have always been high and have not gone much higher this year.
The question here really is – Why did Shmuel buy 25lbs of Matza this year when he is 11 people less?!?
“The question here really is – Why did Shmuel buy 25lbs of Matza this year when he is 11 people less?!?”Shmuel is hoping that 11 guests will show up in the last minute.
Do you realize the matzah bakery sits vacant for 6 months a year. The owner deserves to make a living or a nice living.
Why is there no born on date or sell by date on boxes of matzah? This goes for most Heimish food companies as well. Distributers/ Kosher supermarkets store the left over holiday goods and resell them next year for the same price.
Kiwi kids gave away free Matos, I could only get so much into my Cadillac SUV.
The prices of Matza have not soared at all and they cost alot to produce due to the cost of labor I am not sure what the point of the article is if anything went up in price it is the cost of renting a house in Orlando
Costco has Shmura with a good hashgocha for less than $15/lb
WHY is matzo so expensive? They charge what the market will bear. BECAUSE there are “suckers” who will pay it.
Shmurah does not necessarily mean totally handmade.
Some gedolei olam ate/eat machine matzah, even for the seder. Much cheaper, and maybe even more mehudar.
Prices are covid related ..