Rising food prices are reshaping how Atlantans eat, and 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 Stephen Craft says the reasons run deeper than the grocery aisle.
鈥淲e are relatively speaking, compared to other cities, further away from edible food sources,鈥� Craft said. 鈥淥ur trucking costs of bringing in food are relatively high.鈥�
, Craft, dean of the Hammack School of Business, outlined several forces driving higher costs across metro Atlanta, where food prices are rising faster than the national average. Grocery prices in the region increased 4.7% over the past year, with fruits and vegetables up 7.5%.
Craft pointed to global and structural pressures behind those increases. Rising diesel fuel and fertilizer costs tied to the conflict in Iran are pushing prices higher throughout the supply chain. Immigration policies are also constraining labor, making it harder for farmers and distributors to find workers and increasing costs.
At the local level, Craft noted that Atlanta鈥檚 cost structure compounds the issue. Commercial rents remain relatively high even outside the urban core, limiting the ability of grocers and restaurants to offset rising expenses. At the same time, Georgia relies heavily on food shipped in from elsewhere, adding transportation costs that are more pronounced than in regions closer to major agricultural production.
Those pressures are changing consumer behavior. The AJC reports that families are buying less meat and produce, turning to discount retailers and adopting cost-saving strategies like 鈥渕eatless Mondays鈥� to manage their budgets.聽 Restaurant prices, which rose 6.2% over the past year, are further shaping how often consumers dine out.
For Craft, the takeaway is clear. Rising food prices are not just a short-term challenge but a complex economic issue driven by supply chains, policy and geography, with lasting effects on how people spend and live.
黑料吃瓜网 Stephen Craft, Ph.D. 鈥� Dean, Hammack School of Business
Stephen Craft, Ph.D., serves as Dean of the Hammack School of Business at 黑料吃瓜网 in Atlanta, Ga., where he also directs the MBA program. With a strong foundation in higher education leadership and business education, Dr. Craft is recognized for advancing innovative academic programs and fostering connections between students, faculty and industry.
More about Stephen Craft, Ph.D.
黑料吃瓜网 the Hammack School of Business
The Hammack School of Business at 黑料吃瓜网 prepares students for careers in a rapidly changing global economy by combining liberal arts foundations with practical business experience. Launched in 2019 through a $50 million gift from alumnus Q. William 鈥淏ill鈥� Hammack Jr., the school offers undergraduate degrees in areas like accounting and business administration as well as an MBA, emphasizing real-world learning through internships, experiential coursework and strong connections to Atlanta鈥檚 business community. Its curriculum focuses on adaptability, critical thinking and communication, helping students develop the skills to lead, innovate and succeed across multiple careers.
