Immediate Volatile Prices, Expected Limited Availability, and Mediocre Quality at Best

"Good Things Come From Sysco" is the company slogan for Sysco Inc. It distributes frozen foods, various canned and dry foods, fresh and frozen meats, seafood and poultry, imported specialties, and fresh produce. The company also supplies various non-food items, including disposable napkins, plates, and cups; tableware, cookware, restaurant and kitchen equipment, and cleaning supplies.

Delivering food to Kelowna, BC

 They have many large warehouses throughout Canada, USA and Mexico but they store LTI (long term items) while the fruit and veggies are shipped direct.
Not all produce is created equal. So grocery store chains bid on quality and arrival dates. So, say, Zehrs always gets better tomatoes, then Safeway, then the 'super value' stores and the locals usually get the worst quality produce.
They supply us with what we eat when it is out of season.
Which worries me when I get a link to a PDF file they sent out to their customers 6 days ago titled "Mexico's Big Freeze" - Download.

ALL OF OUR GROWERS HAVE INVOKED THE ACT OF GOD CLAUSE ON OUR CONTRACTS DUE TO THE FOLLOWING RELEASE. WE WILL BE CONTACTING YOU PERSONALLY TO REVIEW HOW THIS WILL AFFECT OUR CONTRACTED ITEMS WITH YOU GOING FORWARD.

Heh heh heh. I'm sorry - what? Act of God. Are you serious? Yes.

Act of God is a legal term for events outside of human control, such as sudden floods or other natural disasters, for which no one can be held responsible.
-Wikipedia

Ok, so we sue the big guy upstairs and he provides us with bounty-full crops in an Eden like environment. Or he just doesn't show up to the courtroom and we are all royally screwed.

THE EXTREME FREEZING TEMPERATURES HIT A VERY BROAD SECTION OF MAJOR GROWING REGIONS IN MEXICO, FROM HERMOSILLO IN THE  NORTH ALL THE WAY SOUTH TO LOS MOCHIS AND EVEN SOUTH OF CULIACAN. THE EARLY REPORTS ARE STILL COMING IN BUT MOST ARE SHOWING LOSSES OF CROPS IN THE RANGE OF 80 TO 100%.

That can't be good. So what does this mean? What crops are going to supply all of North America for the rest of the winter with 0% to 20% of their regular supply?

Digital Journal Article 80-100% Loss - LINK

GREEN BEANS, EGGPLANT, CUCUMBERS, SQUASH, PEPPERS, ASPARAGUS, AND ROUND AND ROMA TOMATOES.

I need tomatoes and peppers for my Pizza. If most of the tomatoes are destroyed the ones left over are going to be... "Mediocre Quality at Best"
Ugh.
I'll just buy my tomatoes from somewhere else like the State of Flo*.

FLORIDA NORMALLY IS A MAJOR SUPPLIER FOR THESE ITEMS AS WELL BUT THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN STRUCK WITH SEVERE FREEZE DAMAGE IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY AND UP UNTIL NOW HAVE HAD TO PURCHASE PRODUCT OUT OF MEXICO TO FILL THEIR COMMITMENTS, THAT IS NO LONGER AN OPTION.

*rida. Ah come on. Florida too? Well, winter can't last forever. Why not just wait it out and grow all over again?

SOME GROWERS ARE MEETING WITH THEIR BOARDS RIGHT NOW TO DETERMINE WHETHER THEY SHOULD IMMEDIATELY RE-PLANT, HOPING FOR A HARVEST BY LATE-MARCH-TO EARLY-APRIL, OR WHETHER THEY SHOULD DISC THE FIELDS UNDER AND WAIT FOR ANOTHER SEASON.

It's called a PiPizzaZza. True Story.

So that could mean that there is a shortage all year LONG!? Do you know how often I eat pizza? Without tomato sauce I'm basically eating vegetable bread. And the "mediocre at best" tomatoes will cost a heck of a lot more. Every restaurant will be competing for the best; prices are going to go up on my beloved round delight.


If only I had known! If only I could go back and do it over again; eat each pizza - over again.
I'd do things different. I'd have bought a shit load of canned tomato sauce when it was on sale for a dollar. Now it's going to cost around $8-$15 for the same size but poorer quality. Why lord why?!

But I did.
I bought a bunch when they were on sale. And I'm going to go out and buy a LOT more at Costco. The canned tomatoes are still the good quality produce and will last for a couple years. I'll also go out and buy some fresh stuff at the super market if it's still available and try and can 'em and vac-seal them for later. I'm also growing my own this summer so I should be able to weather this shortage without it costing me too much extra.
It's like investing in real tangible commodities. I buy a can for a $1 and in 4 months it is worth $8 - that's an 800% return! That's almost as good as a ponzi scheme!

Wheat increase from May 09 to Jan 11

Lets look at what the world food crisis is going to do to Pizza.

• Flour is going up because of demand and drought.
• Cheese is going up because of corn and wheat prices.
• Tomatoes and peppers are going to be rare for 3-4 months or longer.
• Pepperoni is going up because of corn and wheat prices.
  

What's a Ninja Turtle to eat? Master Splinter didn't teach anything about food preparation dude.






I do have 2 more graphs to post. One is funny and the other one isn't. You decide which. You can either join the red side of awesomeness and invest in some food insurance now while it's available and cheap or join the blue side of government hand outs.

can

Broke and Hungry - LINK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've tried to back up all my facts with links.
This isn't meant to be a scare story either.
The scare store would be posted 3 months from now when I talk about how I read food prices were going up and didn't do anything and how I'm eating $50 medium Pizza that tastes like garbage. That's scary.
This isn't going to happen. It already HAS happened. It's just takes a little time to catch up to us.

This is meant to help out all of my readers (shout out to Dave, Amanda and my mom - lol) so we can enjoy good quality food at a reasonable price.


Store what you eat and eat what you store.

Life isn't Phar(aoh)

Drudge Reports that Egypt is on the brink of 'civil' war. It goes on to claim the people are unhappy about corruption and leadership issues. It's not till the very bottom of the report do they mention the words 'unemployment' and 'surging prices'.

Maybe you have seen video footage and the people are shouting in an Arabic language and holding signs with Arabic writing on them; none of which I can understand.


They are wanting food. Wheat, sugar, rice, cooking oils. Prices have gone up 400% in a country where most people live on $2 a day.

The government is being blamed for not doing it's job. It's job is to look after the well being of the people; in good times and bad. During good times the government lined it's own pockets and took care of its self - and in bad times.... nothing has changed.
You know it's bad when the Christians and the Muslims join forces together  to fight something.

THIS JUST IN: Police members are removing their suits and joining the protesters.

 Read more here

Let me tell you how the Egyptian government works; but I'll change the names so we all understand easier and put it into perspective.
It's basically the rich wealth families that are in charge. The current President has been in office for 30 years and is corrupt to the core; he's from the Bush family. The military advisors change seats but usually come from the Clinton family. The guy in charge of the food distribution system is a Kennedy. The bank guys are Rothchilds.

Only the rich from the same few families. Everyone else is too poor to qualify.

The same rich clowns are make a bundle while everyone else suffers and starves. Just like America!


Egypt is going though a drought. One of their major importers (Salutes to 'Major Importers' sir) for grains was Russia - and Russia has banned grain exports because they don't have enough for themselves. That's right, the big country of Russia is having problems feeding it's own people. Shhh. Don't tell anyone I told you.

So that leaves Egypt, the land of Pharaohs, fending for itself.

    The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) recent announcement that the world food price index now surpasses the peak level achieved in the food price spike in 2007-08 raises serious concerns about the ability of the world to feed itself over the next several years.                                                      Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/health/Canada+must+take+lead+solving+food+crisis/4182907/story.html#ixzz1CL1EIarp

The Food Agriculture organisation has admitted they expects worldwide food riots this year.

Worldwide.

Riots.

Could Canada & USA descend into food riots this year, like the FAO suggests?
 
Don't think it won't happen here, in North America.
USA imports 60% of it's food and exports 40%.
USA is over $13 trillion dollars Broke. The individual States are starting to file for bankruptcy. Now cities and towns are unable to fund social programs (like snow remove and repairing roads, police, medical, fire) because they do not have the money. And the individual 'tax payer' is broke and hanging onto their homes by a thread, while the banks try and reposes their homes. They end up living in the tent cities no one likes to talk about and the government doesn't have to pay for.

And think of all the peoples money they used to bail out the same banks that turned around and now take the peoples homes!!! Ouch.

But look at the people in charge of the country. Look at the Bush family, Clinton, Rothchilds and Kennedy's. Look how Obama $1.5 million on ONE of his Hawaiian vacations. He goes every couple month; at tax payer expense.
Most of those clowns are related to each other through marrage. Talk about fixing the system to work in their favour. It's just like Egypt rich clowns controlling everything! CBS did a video on this...

 So if USA can not afford to buy 60% of the food it imports it will have to learn to live off the 40% it normally exports.

If USA can't afford to pay it's dept back well... the Chinese are going to come a knocking.

China is growing FAST and needs a lot more food. They are importing food and oil like crazy. They are stocking up and building a nice surplus for when times get tough. They even match or surpass the USA for military strength.

Anyone remember the bible story about Joseph in Egypt?

    Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, yet rose to become the most powerful man in Egypt next to the Pharaoh, by saving many lives from the seven year famine. -wikipedia

What else happened during the famine? Other cities and peoples sold themselves and everything they owned to Egypt for food.

Egypt took over.

So I started talking about Egypt going into civil war because the people have nothing.
Then I talked about USA and it's illusion of having something.
Then I mentioned China needing more and having the ability to take it.
And I brought it right back to Egypt's ancient solution.

China is the new Egypt.
Wars are fought over resources.

Food is a motivating resource.

How are your resources?

12 meals till anarchy.

 So we are 12 meals away from anarchy.
'We' being North Americans.
Our government regulated food stores have been depleted to keep the cost of foods down. Now that they are gone we are going to see the costs rise to levels that reflect most of the world.

How does that make you feel? In 12 meals you could start going hungry and then starving to death?
Due to last years droughts and floods there are over 30 countries imposing export bans; like Russia. Russia was the 3rd largest exporter of wheat. They imposed a 3 month ban last year.... they still haven't lifted it. Infact they are now IMPORTING wheat. That brings the cost we pay up.
How about Florida? They got hit with some winter weather that has really done bad damage to their orange and tomato farms. Nearly wiped them out. What is that going to do to the cost of Oranges and Tomatoes? Price will go up. Pizza isn't pizza without tomato sauce. Prices will go up. Orange juice prices; go up. Who pays more.
I do. Or I stop buying orange/tomato products.

12 meals. That's 4 days.
Where do I get that figure? Well I worked as a baker at a grocery store for a couple years. A big one. Every 2 days we got 4 trailer loads of food in and it was stocked direct to the shelves. There is no back room storage anymore. I remember when the east coast power went down for 3 days. Within 2 hours we were sold out of water, bread and milk. Hows that for a reflection on society. Everyone runs out and buys bread and water. We still had peanut butter and jam. OMG the world is ending and I want to eat like a 3rd world prisoner!!!
By the end of the day the shelves were picked pretty raw. Then I had 2 nice days off till the power returned. I try not to think how things would have looked if the power didn't turn on. Since all the bread and water was gone what will I eat!?

So 12 meals. If I could choose the 12 meals I would eat; before I starve to death. I would choose some pizza, steak, chines food, more pizza, mashed potatoes, lasagnia, fried rice, corn on the cob with extra butter, stir-fried veggies, fruit smoothies, popcorn, pizza again, roast chicken, mushroom soup, bacon and eggs, actually bacon on everything; I'd be drinking beer, fruit juice, cola and coffee. I'd even have bread and water.

But then, after my gluttonous rage who starves to death with their family and friends? I do.

Bummer.

Today I started making another batch of cheese. The one I made yesterday is drying and looks really cheese like. I'm going to make a pizza from it. Today's batch of cheese is going to be a marble cheddar. I'll probably coat it in wax and let it age for a month. By that time I'll have a couple dozen more blocks of cheese ageing; maybe 3 months worth.
As soon as spring arrives I'll be setting up my garden expansion. I want to atleast double last years garden. I will have about 12-15 tomato plants. More than enough to eat and store some away for winter.
I guess I won't be paying more for tomato's this year.
I'm also startin a 10x10 foot wheat section this year. I'm going to try and grow my own for fresh bread and pizza dough. Gotta have pizza.
I'm also growing most of the normal pizza toppings, onions, peppers, garlic, mushrooms, etc.
Who has cheap and fresh pizza to eat this year!? I do.
In fact I'm going to be growing as much of my '12 days till anarchy' food as I can. In a better world I could grow bacon. I'm not in the position to raise pigs - yet. But at least I will have other food items I can maybe trade for pig meat.

Since I can make my own bread. And I have a well for water. I guess this year is going to be great no matter what happens.

What are you doing to make you life taste better?