powdered milk

[Logan MacEwens]

I shop every week where I sometimes run out of cream near the end of the week.

So I figured I'd stock evaporated and condensed milk, but they change the taste of the coffee and, 90% of the can gets wasted because I only need one shot or two until I go out and buy cream again (which can't be stocked).

Then I had the bright idea of stocking powdered milk!

Sure, it sucks as a product, but for emergencies it should work, right? Guess what?

The PRICE of powdered milk is far more than fresh milk! Why?

Generally crap costs less than the real thing, right? So why is powdered milk (admittedly, it's crap), more EXPENSIVE than fresh milk?

I don't get it. Do you?

[Rod Speed]

I used to use UHF milk until I gave up on coffee entirely.

It certainly tastes different and might be a problem if you only use it when you run out, but it stocks well.

[gfretwell]

There is more processing to make powdered milk. Regular milk just comes straight from the cow with a quick pass through the pasteurizing machine on it's way to the jug. You also have the problem that powdered milk is an international commodity and gets somewhat "price fixed" by trade agreements. Places like New Zealand are already griping that we "dump" it on the market cheaper than they can produce it.

[Rod Speed]

No trade agreement fixes its price.

But that's mostly just more piss and wind.

[Ophelia]

I shop every week where I sometimes run out of cream near the end of the week.

So I figured I'd stock evaporated and condensed milk, but they change the taste of the coffee and, 90% of the can gets wasted because I only need one shot or two until I go out and buy cream again (which can't be stocked).

Then I had the bright idea of stocking powdered milk!

Sure, it sucks as a product, but for emergencies it should work, right? Guess what?

The PRICE of powdered milk is far more than fresh milk! Why?

Generally crap costs less than the real thing, right? So why is powdered milk (admittedly, it's crap), more EXPENSIVE than fresh milk?

I don't get it. Do you?

===

Yes, because it needs to be processed, which doesn't come free.

[Jeßus]

There are several more steps involved in manufacturing powdered milk compared to normal milk, so somebody has to pay for that process...

Depends on what wavelength your personally prefer?

UHT milk gives me the runs, ordinary milk does not.

[Frank]

My wife thinks she is lactose intolerant and only buys lactose free milk. It too costs a bit more because of the extra processing but it lasts considerably longer in the refrigerator.

[Wade Garrett]

Give some thought to what dairy farmers have to do to get that powder out of the cows and you'd understand why it's so expensive ;-)

[gfretwell]

Perhaps "establish" would be a better term but it is going to be based on what the traffic will bear and if our competitors are charging more, we can charge more.

The price part in valid tho. We can bump our price up to 99.5% of theirs and still be cheaper.

[Clare Snyder]

If it is, it is due to the cost of processing.

It always was less expensive years ago because it was made of "surplus" or "industrial" milk.

I grew up on it as we were poor. Freshly mixed it is AWFULL, but left sit in the fridge for about 3 hours or so it's pretty much just skimmed milk.

[Rod Speed]

That's because you are a very shitty person.

[Rod Speed]

No trade agreement establishes its price either.

And there arent many trade agreements between the US and the main exporters of powdered milk either.

Yes, and the cost of producing it.

But has nothing to do with trade agreements.

What ?

The reality is that the market price isnt cheaper than NZ can produce it. If it was, NZ wouldn't be selling so much of it to China.

[Jeßus]

Keep talking to me like that, and I'll leave you. I mean it this time.

[Julie Bove]

Think about it. How long would they have to dehydrate it for to get it to powder? I have no idea but that would use electricity. Dried foods are always more expensive than fresh.

[Rod Speed]

But powdered milk used to be cheaper than fresh milk, presumably because they didn't have to move it in refrigerated trucks etc once made, so the question is why has the price ratio changed now ?

[Frank]

I'm not sure it is. Quick look makes it somewhat difficult as it is sold by weight but you are told to add volumes to make certain quantities. Saw one from Carnation that was a small pack costing $1.49 and made a quart. I think a quart of milk costs more than this.

[danny burstein]

Just confirming your recollection here. Back in the 1960's we'd use powdered milk in cooking (mmmm, macaroni and cheese...) and it was cheaper than whole milk.

About 15 years ago (after decades of not using any) I went to pick up some more, and was surprised that the dry stuff was more expensive.

There's so much in the way of price controls and minimum pricing and rules and regulation, that I can't even try guessing as to the reasons.

[gfretwell]

Regular milk got cheaper. Refrigeration is the standard now not the exception.

[Logan MacEwens]

That might be the answer that real milk got cheaper.

It's about $19 for a bag of powdered milk that says it makes 20 quarts. In rough numbers, that's about a dollar for each reconstituted quart.

Four dollars a gallon for ersatz skim milk is so high that I have to wonder who buys the stuff and for what reason?

The reason I wanted it was as a failsafe, but at that price?

[danny burstein]

One advantage is that you buy powdered milk in a box with four "quart" dehydrated packets in it, so you can just mix up and use a bit at a time. I'd guess there are other size options on the shelf, too.

You pays your money andyou makes your choices.