The palette of kozunaks is rich this year before Easter, and the variety on the market can satisfy even the most demanding taste. In addition to traditional options, holiday baskets are becoming increasingly popular, which include kozunaks, eggs, cookies and other sweet treats. However, according to manufacturers, prices have increased by about 5% compared to last year.
In bakeries, prices vary depending on the ingredients and the method of preparation. “This year, kozunaks are between 6 and 10 euros per half a kilogram. Natural kozunak is about 6 euros, with chocolate - 8 euros, and Italian panettone reaches 10 euros“, explained the owner of a bakery chain Nestor Kutsev. The most luxurious offerings, such as gluten-free kozunak with dark chocolate and nuts, reach up to 30 euros.
Master bakers say that the secret to a good kozunak remains unchanged - quality products and attention to detail. “We add eggs, fresh milk, butter, sugar and flour and, of course, a drop of love“, says baker Dragomir Petrov. At the same time, a new trend is being observed in sweet products - traditional cookies are gradually being replaced by handmade butter biscuits with festive decorations.
In the retail network, more ordinary kozunaks cost between 2.50 and 3 euros, while more special ones - with creams, fruits or nuts, reach up to 6 euros. Some consumers plan to spend between 5 and 20 euros for the holiday, while others prefer to prepare kozunaks at home because of the quality. Producers explain the increase in prices by the increased prices of raw materials such as eggs, butter and chocolate, as well as by the expected impact of more expensive fuels on production in the coming weeks.
From the poultry farm to the store counter - a NOVA team followed the path of the egg and how its final price is formed. At a base near Sofia, about 50,000 eggs pass through the assembly line every day, which are sorted and graded before reaching the retail network. “This is our egg warehouse. The eggs produced on our poultry farm are graded here“, explained the chairman of the Poultry Farmers' Union, Ivaylo Galabov.
The data show that despite the slight increase in stores, wholesale prices remain almost unchanged. According to information from the Confederation of Bulgarian Trade Unions (CITUB), in March last year 10 eggs cost 2.86 leva, and in February this year - 2.98 leva. “If we look at wholesale prices in the EU for a year, the difference is insignificant. For Bulgaria, the increase is no more than 5%“, Galabov pointed out and added that in our country eggs remain among the cheapest in the European Union.
However, the difference between wholesale and retail prices is explained by a number of factors. “Fuel, electricity and feed directly affect the cost price“, he also said, but stressed that the final price is also determined by demand, supply and consumer attitudes. According to him, producers rely on a larger volume of sales, not a sharp increase in prices.
Expectations are that around Easter there will be enough eggs on the market, including imported ones, mainly in large retail chains. “The wholesale price will not increase. "There may be minimal fluctuations in retail, but I also expect promotions," said Galabov. He assured that the quality will be guaranteed, and Bulgarian eggs can be easily recognized by the marking with the code "BG" on the shell.