The general trend of rising food prices has caused consumers to welcome both giving and asking for food products for Christmas, a fact that has been confirmed by the specialized stores consulted by Efeagro, where the demand reaches to increase up to 100% compared to the rest of the year.
During these Christmas weeks, these types of establishments experience their own “black Friday”, with increases in demand that, in some cases, doubles that of the rest of the year and with special food packs already designed as the most requested orders.
This is the case of Casa Ortega, a food store specialized in high-end products whose manager, Ignacio Ortega, has detailed in statements to Efeagro, that the demand for this type of items increases up to 100% compared to another month.
Ortega, who represents the fourth generation that owns this business, has stated that in recent years they have registered an increase in demand for these products as Christmas gifts and that, this year in particular, they are receiving many orders for items such as Iberian products. , less accessible the rest of the course due to its price.
He added that these weeks are a “key” period in the general calculation of the year, as the demand for all products increases across the board; For example, champagne experiences an increase of 70% and Iberian products and wine of 50%, compared to a normal week.
In the case of Petramora, an online store specialized in gourmet food, they also assure that the evolution of gift orders is increasing and they even already have gift baskets for Christmas in their catalog, as well as for other designated dates such as Christmas Day. of the father and Valentine’s Day.
The head of Petramora’s Sales and Customer Service department, Eva Cordero, explained to Efeagro that, during these dates, they have “double the demand” than the rest of the year and with orders from both companies and individuals, the latter with a sharp increase.
Furthermore, the rise in food prices in recent months means that giving this type of product during Christmas is seen as an “exclusive” gift, he noted.
The aperitif moment triumphs in the Petramora catalogue, which has among its products several packs of this “usual” gastronomic moment, in which you can find products such as wine, sausages, picos, gildas and cheeses; all of it “customizable”, the most popular option, according to the person in charge.
“Olive oil has become the new wine,” says the manager of the Casa Ortega store, while explaining that the option of giving the so-called “liquid gold” during these dates has increased considerably due to the increase in the price that this product has suffered in the last year.
About fifteen years ago, giving a bottle of olive oil “was not common,” recalls Ortega. Before, EVOO was acquired as a “necessity good” and now, because it has become a “luxury item”, it is acquired as an “exclusive” gift.
Apart from oil, cheeses, wine and Christmas sweets are the favorite products chosen by consumers to give as gifts at Christmas.
And beyond the food itself, stores like Casa Ortega have also recorded an increase in the purchase of gift products such as high-end knives or different gastronomic utensils in recent weeks.
Gastronomy fans take advantage of these dates to ask in their letters to the Three Wise Men for more sophisticated products to prepare their dishes, a reflection of this is the “best sellers” category on Amazon, where the Air fryer is consolidated as the best-selling product. in the home and kitchen category.
Among the best-selling books on the platform there is space for gastronomy; There, the recipes of chef Karlos Arguiñano are ranked number 11 in most demand and in the food category, chocolate gift boxes have been among the best sellers for these dates.
From wines to oil, through Iberian products and kitchen utensils, these products conclude a letter from the Three Wise Men that, far from being a shopping list, offers clues about what consumers are looking for: food items that They have become gourmets in another year marked by inflation.
