Pizzeria owner welcomes cheaper mozzarella

The price of mozzarella cheese will be dropping for restaurants across the country next month, but customers will not necessarily see a drop in price, says one restaurant owner.

The Canadian Dairy Commission has announced it has changed the classification of mozzarella cheese, essentially taking it out of the supply management system. That means there will be a drop in the price of the cheese used on fresh pizza.

Dan Mitchell, owner of Famous Peppers, which has two locations on P.E.I., is happy to see the change.

"It's always a good thing when prices go down. That's rare," said Mitchell.

"The prices go up about 15 per cent a year. It's good to see them stabilize."

While the prices are going down for restaurants, Doug Thompson, general manager of the Dairy Farmers of P.E.I., said the change won't have a big impact on producers.

"The impact should be very, very small at the farm gate, but at the same time hopefully provide a benefit for the restaurant or food services industry," said Thompson.

When the changes were first announced early this month, federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said the changes were "good for restaurants and good for consumers." But it won't be big savings for Mitchell, about $1,000 a year, and that doesn't come to very much per pizza.

"A pizza that we sell for $20 will cost us 10 cents less to make," he said.

Mitchell doesn't see that is enough to cut his prices.

The new classification for mozzarella comes into effect June 1.

For mobile device users: Are you disappointed to hear the price of pizza may not drop?