By Jonathan Devoy
Imagine going to the grocery store and finding food prices have risen 80 percent. It would be pretty hard to support yourself, let alone a family, with a price hike like that.
Thankfully, this isn’t the case for most of us, but for Sam Musolino of Sammy’s Pizzeria, such a price hike has become a yearly struggle.
Just a year ago, Sammy’s Pizzeria on Hyde Park Boulevard held a strike in protest of deliberate price increases of chicken wings around the time of the National Football League playoffs and the Super Bowl.
Last year, Musolino’s strike roused up some local and national attention from WIVB Channel 4, and CNN. This, however, did not have the desired impact for Musolino. Once again, Musolino has to come close to doubling his expenses for wings while buying from local suppliers such as Sam’s Club.
“They jack up prices for the Super Bowl,” says Musolino, “Once again, they’re just taking advantage of us.”
On off-seasons, chicken wings are $47 to $50 per 40-pound box. Now, due to the climax of the football season, wing prices have soared to $85 to $90 per box.
Richard Lobb, a representative from the National Chicken Council, said a couple weeks ago that for the first time since 1973 poultry producers have cut production, due to an easing of demand for chicken breast, causing prices to rise dramatically.
“The industry has to balance the demand for the whole bird,” Lobb said. “I sympathize with consumers, but you have to remember a chicken only has two wings.”
Musolino’s not buying into it and will once again stage a chicken wing strike. While he has the support of a few restaurants this time, there has been no sign of national coverage.
Still, Musolino said his hopes are high. If the second strike staged today is successful, Musolino plans to extend it out to Tuesday as well.
Musolino has also provided means for patrons to support his cause by way of T-shirts, in which interested parties can support Sammy’s Pizzeria by buying one.
