Image credit: Malay Mail
KUCHING (Jan 3): Consumers can expect to fork out more for food and beverages (F&B) after the Lunar New Year celebration next month following the rising costs of ingredients.
According to Kapitan Tan Yit Sheng, it was highly likely that F&B industry players would hike up prices not just due to the increasing costs of ingredients but also in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Kuching Coffeeshop and Restaurant Owners Association committee member observed that many food premises operators had been struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic.
“With the costs of ingredients going up and up, it is natural for F&B prices to increase too. Most probably, the prices will increase after the Lunar New Year celebration,” he told The Borneo Post here today.
The Chinese community across the globe is ringing in the Year of the Ox on Feb 12.
Tan, who runs a food court at Gala City commercial area off Jalan Tun Jugah here, said the cost of coffee powder had increased by RM1 per kg.
“It used to be RM19 per kg and it’s now RM20. Although you see only a RM1 difference, when you use 10kg of coffee powder a day, it is RM10 per day.”
On the issue of manpower, he said the F&B industry was not facing any shortage of workers.
While other industries such as the construction faced shortage of workers, he said the F&B industry, in fact, had an oversupply of manpower.
According to Tan, such oversupply of manpower is because of many food premises having ceased operations as a result of the pandemic.
“Even the number of workers at my food court has reduced from 15 before the MCO (Movement Control Order) to 10 now.
“Some of those who left were the ones who decided to return to their respective hometowns during the MCO and they never came back again. Of course, there were those who left for greener pastures,” he said.
He added that the current number of workers was just nice to meet the demand.
Tan said he appreciated the financial assistance offered by the government to help employers reduce their financial burden during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the federal government had provided special aid for employers, who recruited new workers.
“The various government assistances more or less help even though unemployment is happening on the ground,” he added.
Source: https://www.theborneopost.com/2021/01/03/expect-fb-prices-to-rise-after-cny-cautions-coffeeshop-association-member/