With working ovens and plenty of time due to coronavirus-related stay-at-home orders, many Americans are trying their hands at baking bread.
Karen Colberg, Co-CEO of King Arthur Flour, told Cheddar Monday that people are looking for a way to pass the time.
“I think, right now, in such uncertain times, baking is such a comfort," Colberg said.
Unlike a batch of cookies, or even cupcakes, which can sometimes be made in half an hour, bread requires several hours to prepare. Now that many have the time to dedicate to the process, Colberg contends that baking bread can be more than just food prep.
“There is something really therapeutic about getting your hands, literally, in the dough and creating something.”
Google is reporting an all-time high for searches about bread, and Colberg said the most popular recipe is for sourdough starter, which requires an even greater amount of tending than a non-sourdough loaf.
“There’s been over 1.5 million views to this one recipe page over the past few weeks,” she said. “It’s elevating your baking game, particularly if you were already a bread baker.”
For those who might need a little bit more guidance in the kitchen, King Arthur’s Baker's Hotline has been operating for 25 years and is staffed with trained bakers who can answer all of your baking questions.
“We have seen doubled, probably two-and-a-half times, the numbers of inquiries through the hotline over the past couple of weeks, and then we have a really active engagement on social,” Colberg said.
The popularity of baking has increased the demand for flour and yeast and some suppliers are calling it "unprecedented." Colberg said to keep up with the uptick, her company is introducing a new packaging size to carry their flour.
“We’re working with a partner that normally wouldn’t be bagging our flour telling them, 'Here is a new pack size. How quickly can you get this up and running?' By the end of this week and over the next few months we will have over one million additional all-purpose flour [packages] getting out there,” she said.
After the 2021 boom, IPO activity slowed down significantly, in part due to monetary policy – but things are getting moving again with tech-friendly companies like Iboutta and Rubrik making a public debut.
With an increasing demand for mental health services, one person wanted to change the therapy game. In 2017, CEO Alex Katz founded Two Chairs, a company that uses technology to match patients with the right therapist.
Not only is April Financial Literacy Month, it’s also the kickoff of the spring homebuying season. So now is the time to make sure you have a financial plan in place – and why it might not be wise for that to include buying your first home.
While the U.S. may slowly be on the path to lowering inflation (and therefore interest rates), Europe has thoroughly trounced America, putting it on the path to lower rates by this summer.
April's release of the monthly Housing Starts and Building Permits reports by the Census Bureau provides crucial insights into the construction activity in the housing market. These reports are an economic indicator, shedding light on the current state of the housing market and its broader economic impact.
Caitlin Clark is heading to the Indiana Fever, the number one draft pick and the highest-scoring college basketball player of all time. And while she may not be getting millions from the WNBA, there's a few ways she'll net compensation for her generational talents.
Author of 'Clean Meat,' Paul Shapiro joins Cheddar to discuss how the cellular agricultural revolution helps lower rates of foodborne illness and greatly improves environmental sustainability. Plus, how his company The Better Meat Co. is bringing healthier food options to the table.
Recent headlines might make it sound like World War III is imminent, but when it comes to your finances, it's not the time to panic. The market is coming off its longest winning streak since 2011.
