THERE’S good news for lovers of one of the Island’s culinary delights, after a drop in the price of cooking oil relieved pressure on makers of Jersey wonders.
The price of cooking oil has spiked since the war in Ukraine began, which has affected exports from the world’s largest producer.
However, the costs of staple products, such as sunflower oil and eggs, have begun to fall in the UK, with the average price of a litre of sunflower oil dropping 22p from the spring, according to research firm Kantar.
Barbara Bechelet, who is behind ‘Jersey Wonders by Babs’, confirmed that she had recently seen reductions in the price of oil, which plays a key role in producing the Jersey delicacy.
‘While it won’t ever come back to what it was several years ago, before my supplier made their prices higher, they have gone down again,’ she said.
‘I go through 40 to 60 litres of oil a week, so it’s important for me to get it at a realistic price.’
The rise forced Ms Bechelet to temporarily close her business in October last year and, after restarting this year, she has ‘reluctantly’ increased the price of her Jersey wonders – and sought new suppliers for her ingredients.
The Jersey Wonderer, Collette Labey, said she had also changed suppliers but was yet to see a drop in prices.
‘I used to get litres at £1.64 before that went up to over £5, and now I’ve managed to get that down to under £3 with my other supplier.’
She said buying oil ‘off the shelf at supermarkets’ was no longer viable.
‘It’s a constant battle, but I don’t want to give up. We want to keep Jersey Wonders going as much as we can. It’s quite stable at the moment, though, and we’re happy with where the prices are for now.’
