Balsamic vinegar never cost more than 25 yuan (~$3.50) in my online supermarket. But recently, it left me with a sour aftertaste when I discovered the outlet now selling it for 69 yuan (~$9.80), a more than threefold jump in the price. And I had to wonder, was this because of the coronavirus?
Here in China, balsamic vinegar has always starred among the tantalizing selection of imported foods you can find in supermarkets, particularly those online. If anything, online shopping has made securing this trademark Italian condiment that much easier, because so many sellers have flooded major platforms, like Taobao and JD. We have always relied on our online supermarket, which can deliver as fast as the same day you place an order. Plus, it even boasts not one nor two but three mouthwatering versions of balsamic vinegar.
Over the years, I’ve consistently stuck with the best-selling option, with a price that hovers around 25 yuan. And it has delivered that rich, sweet flavor on just about every creation I’ve ever used it in (with our household favorite surely being my vegan bruschetta, served on crusty homemade wheat bread — yum!).
But now, if I want to enjoy one full bottle I must fork over the cost of what nearly three used to be.
Has coronavirus bumped up the price of balsamic vinegar?
According to a report by HuffPost on March 19, the contagion hasn’t been curbing exports out of Italy to the US, at least:
But is Italy’s crisis impeding shipments of our beloved pastas and balsamic vinegars? Not necessarily.
“The strangest thing is, production and shipping in Italy has not come to a halt,” said Rolando Beramendi, who owns the Oakland and New York-based Italian food import company Manicaretti. “People are still producing and shipping. Every day I’m in close communication with the 38 producers I work with in Italy. They’re fine. The trucks are able to get to the port.”
Still, the article notes that one importer canceled a shipment of cheese, citing “a combination of surge pricing in the air cargo rates and a series of flight cancellations,” which suggests that some exports from Italy may be getting more expensive. Has this happened to the supply chain for China as well?
Meanwhile, a more recent April 29 report on Italy at NPR, titled Italy Considers Permits For Undocumented Migrants To Fill A Big Farmworker Gap, notes the following (emphasis mine):
Seasonal farmworkers usually go to Italy each year from countries such as Romania and Bulgaria, but recent lockdowns have kept them home. That’s creating a critical shortage of labor for picking fruits and vegetables needed for food and exports.
As Italy rushes to solve this issue by considering granting work permits to undocumented migrants, the situation itself reflects the inherent uncertainty that can reverberate all the way to our own dinner table. Could that be driving up the price too?
Regardless, like any couple, Jun and I have to eat. And for now, we’d prefer to eat at home, with the kind of gusto that comes from a well-prepared meal. With our preferred ingredients, like balsamic vinegar. So if I can’t find better alternatives, I may just shell out for a pricier bottle.
The things we do for la dolce vita.
What do you think? Have you seen the price of balsamic vinegar rise in your area? Or other Italian imports?
Back in Pittsburgh, Chinese soy sauce, gan dou fu, Japanese sesame oil and more have rocketed up in price, as has fresh tofu, for some reason. COVID is raising some prices in the U.S. stores, but at the Chinese store, it’s all The Idiot’s trade war.
Thanks for the comment, Ryan. That is interesting (and unfortunate) you’re also seeing a surge in prices as well in the supermarkets. No doubt at the Chinese store the tariffs have caused the prices to be jacked up. It’s average people who have ultimately paid the price for the trade war.