Rising gas prices force Phoenix business to stop deliveries

Los Muertos Salsa made it through the pandemic by delivering all kinds of salsa to people at home. Owner Anthony Perez says it gave them a big boost. But rising gas prices have him barely breaking even right now. “I know what I would pay for delivery and salsa even though they’re willing to pay it, I wouldn’t feel right charging that amount,” he said.

Perez doesn’t want to increase the costs of his products or cut his drivers short. He uses an extended van to make deliveries. With a van that doesn’t get the best mileage, he decided to stop delivering salsas starting next week. “I’m not going to cheat my drivers out of anything. They deserve to drive. Harder to pay them what they deserve when prices are going up.”

Los Muertos Salsa is sold at farmer’s markets around the Valley. You can also pick it up at their store at 1609 E. Bell Road in Phoenix. For a list of the farmer’s markets they attend, click here.

Next door to Los Muertos Salsa is Phoenix Healthy Chef. Owner Jonathan Allen has a meal prep business that also relies on deliveries. During the pandemic, his business boomed and he was able to hire more workers when many people lost their jobs. Allen is still delivering meals around the Valley, but he says they had to bump up each meal a dollar in cost to make up for inflation. “When I go to bed at night, what are the delivery prices going to be when they get here tomorrow?” he asked.

Allen says meats and produce have doubled or tripled in price recently. He says the companies he buys from are charging more because gas for the big rigs delivering items is so expensive. “A shipping company has to pay a hell of a lot more to bring in a truck full of plastic containers. Seeing how everything has increased is the worst part. It’s painful. It’s that trickledown effect and we try to stop it as much as we can,” Allen said.

Healthy Chef Phoenix is offering kickbacks for people who pick up in-store and save them a delivery stop. You can find more info on their website by clicking/tapping here.

Copyright 2022 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.