2 April 2008 – Yamazaki Baking Co, Japan's largest baker, plans to hike prices for the second time in less than six months in a bid to absorb escalating raw material prices, the Japanese press reports.
The hikes will apply to 1,000 bakery products and 200 confectionery items and will come into effect on 16 May, when prices will increase by an average 8%.
The move comes in the wake of an announcement by the Japanese government concerning a 30% rise in the price of imported wheat, effective from April.
Yamazaki lifted the price of some 500 bakery and confectionery products in December 2007, as reported on FLEXNEWS. The rise was the group’s first in 24 years.