Why Tomatoes Are the Most Expensive They've Been in Four Decades

Why Tomatoes Are the Most Expensive They've Been in Four Decades

From Odd Lots by Bloomberg

June 11, 2026 · 55 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the recent spike in tomato prices and its implications for America's political economy.

In April, the price of tomatoes was around $2.69 per pound — the highest seen in some four decades. And tomatoes aren't the only food getting more expensive. From cauliflower to lettuce, fresh produce is spiking all over the place. So what's driving the price spike? And what can tomatoes teach us teach about America's political economy including changes in trade and tariffs? Our guest today is Jacob Krempel, senior vice president of procurement and merchandising at the wholesale food distributor Baldor, and an expert in securing fresh produce. We talk to him about where America's tomato supply actually comes from, why consumers are paying more and more, how restaurants navigate price fluctuations, and the influx of novel new tomato varieties. Read more: The Recipe for a Power Restaurant Has Changed The Latest Snack Innovations Are Basically Just Creamsicles and Chex Mix Only Bloomberg - Business News, Stock Markets, Finance, Breaking & World News subscribers can get the Odd Lots newsletter in their inbox each week, plus unlimited access to the site and app. Subscribe at  bloomberg.com/subscriptions/oddlots Subscribe to the Odd Lots Newsletter Join the conversation…

People in this episode

Guest: Jacob Krempel

Topics covered

  • food prices
  • political economy
  • trade
  • tariffs
  • fresh produce
  • restaurant economics

Keywords

  • tomato prices
  • food inflation
  • fresh produce
  • trade policies
  • restaurant supply chain

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Baldor

Products: tomatoes, cauliflower, lettuce

Places: America

More episodes of Odd Lots

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Odd Lots podcast page.