CLEVELAND — At Kocian Meats, there are plenty of protein options for customers to choose from, but like most things in life, the products being prepared have been impacted by inflation.
"Simple things have gone up so much and just even just the basic staples of everything," said manager Candice Kocian. "I do hear customers saying, 'Oh my gosh everything is expensive.'"
Kocian has been working hard to manage the rising food costs with the prices she sets on food at the butcher shop.
"Unfortunately, obviously, if our prices go up, we have to accommodate that situation," Kocian said. "We're trying to keep everything at the lowest that we can go so people can get quality products and be satisfied with their purchases. Get the most for their money."
The rising prices are not unique to Kocian Meats. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the price of pork chops has raised by nearly a dollar a pound since 2019. Chicken breast has gone up by more than two dollars a pound in that time and most drastically, the price of uncooked beef has increased by nearly three dollars a pound since 2019.
These rising costs have caused consumers to adjust their buying habits. During the Great Recession that lasted through 2009, consumers spent less on meat, opting to buy cheaper cuts—and that same trend is being seen now.
"I'm seeing a lot of customers, my regular and new customers, stepping away from buying more of the high ticket items like steaks and they're going to something more economical like going to a little bit more ground beef, more poultry," Kocian said. "They buy more in bulk so that way, the more you purchase here, the less expensive it is."
Those trends include customers buying in bulk for businesses of their own, like Sam Spain, who runs Slammin' Sammy's B.B.Q. in Cleveland and gets his inventory from Kocian Meats because they have the best prices, he says.
"Hamburgers used to be like $18 a pack, they're like $30 pack. Hot dogs used to be like $15 a pack, they 're like $30 a pack. Everything is almost double," Spain said.
Spain has struggled with the impact of meat prices and the impact it has on his business.
"It looked very bleak. To be honest, it is hard to judge because the prices vary, go up, go down. You hate to try to pass it on to the customer but you basically don't have any choice," Spain said. "It's very hard, very hard. Thought about giving up."
Consumers buying for their families, like Karen Elliott who works at Kocian Meats, have also struggled with the impact of inflation on food costs.
"I'm purchasing a little less than what I used to purchase. I'm buying more in bulk or I can save money by the pound," Elliott said.
Cooking for a large family often, Elliott has found ways to stretch her dollar and still feed her loved ones amid the rising food costs.
"I like to buy big meats like pork shoulder or roast something that you can stretch with vegetables and stuff," Elliott said. "I usually do everything by myself but now I'm asking people to bring this, bring a dish, bring some paper goods. Usually when you get to my house all that stuff is there but now you got to kind of spread it out. Let the family do a little bit too."
Meanwhile, Kocian Meats, which has been in business since 1922, operating through the Great Depression and numerous recessions, has some tips for consumers struggling with the impact of inflation.
"The best thing to do is to buy in bulk, buy in the family packs, buy in the cases," Kocian said. "If you have the space and you have the money, buy a deep freezer so you can buy in bulk that way. Stretch it out and be able to feed your family."
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