Article

Average cheese prices jump

Consumers not experiencing relief at the gas pump, either.

January 16, 2011 by Alicia Kelso — Editor, QSRWeb.com

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Cheese

Average block cheese prices jumped more than a dime last week on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, coming in at an average of $1.47. The previous week's average was just below $1.35.

Block cheese prices closed at $1.37 Monday, $1.44 Tuesday, $1.50 Wednesday, $1.51 Thursday and just above $1.52 Friday.

Cheese prices remain down from last year, when they averaged $1.63 per pound.

Wheat

Wheat prices eased a bit from last week, averaging $8.78 on the Minneapolis Grain Exchange. Wheat closed at $8.65 both Monday and Tuesday, was above $8.77 Wednesday, reached $8.93 Thursday and closed at $8.90 Friday.

Gasoline and diesel fuel

The nationwide average for regular unleaded gasoline was $3.09, a slight bump up from $3.08 the previous week, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service.

Prices also are up from a month ago, when they were $2.98, and from this time last year, when consumers were paying $2.74 at the pump.

Mid-range unleaded currently averages $3.28, while premium unleaded Monday was $3.40.

The nationwide average for diesel fuel stood at $3.37, an increase from $3.33 per gallon last week. Diesel prices also remain up from $3.26 a month ago, and from $2.92 a year ago.

Natural Gas

Wholesale natural gas prices at most market locations east of the Mississippi River moved higher this week as a bitter cold front moved into the eastern half of the country. West of the Mississippi River, a gradual warming trend resulted in lower prices. During the report week (Jan. 5-12), the Henry Hub spot price increased $0.03 to $4.55 per million Btu (MMBtu).

Pizza company stocks

Shares in Pizza Hut parent Yum! Brands Inc. closed at $47.84, a notable drop from its $49.52 closing  Jan. 7. Yum! traded at an all-time 52-week high of $52.47 in November 2010, and a 52-week low of $32.49 in February 2010.

Domino’s closed at $17.16; another jump from its previous week’s closing of $16.63 Jan. 7, when DPZ hit its 52-week high. Domino’s traded as low as $7.57 in December 2009.

Papa John's stock closed at $28.71 Jan. 14, up from its $28.14 closing the week before. PZZA traded at a 52-week high of $28.84 in May 2010, and a 52-week low of $21.77 in February 2010.

Shares in CEC Entertainment Inc., parent company of Chuck E. Cheese restaurants, closed at $39.48 Jan. 14, a slight change from its Jan. 7 closing of $38.59. CEC traded at a 52-week high of $41.79 in April 2010, and a 52-week low of $30.84 Aug. 13, 2010.

California Pizza Kitchen stayed even at $16.73 from Jan. 7 to Jan. 14. CPKI traded as high as $22.92 in April 2010, and as low as $13.19 in July 2010.

Pizza Inn closed Jan. 14 at $1.92, down from its $2.12 closing Jan. 7. PZZI traded at a 52-week high of $2.20 in April 2010, and a 52-week low of $1.55 in January 2010.

About Alicia Kelso

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Alicia has been a professional journalist for 15 years. Her work with FastCasual.com, QSRweb.com and PizzaMarketplace.com has been featured in publications around the world, including NPR, Good Morning America, Voice of Russia radio, Consumerist.com and Franchise Asia magazine.

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