ORLANDO, Fla. – The gas pump isn’t the only place we’re seeing high prices in our community. At the Orlando Farmers Market,  vendors told Spectrum News the price of food is forcing them to raise their prices.

What You Need To Know

  • The USDA says all food prices are predicted to increase between 7.5 and 8.5% in 2022

  • Tatiana Henao, owner of Earthy Picks Vegan Delights in Orlando says she’s had to increase prices due to how much she’s paying to buy ingredients

  • Henao is informing her customers on why prices are increasing, many are understanding

She started her small business, Earthy Picks Vegan Delights, during the pandemic. Tatiana Henao doesn’t fear a challenge.

“I didn’t know what to do with my life. My mom said why don’t you start selling the food that you love to cook,” said Henao.

The rest is history, but inflation has made a mark on her business.

“This year, actually we have raised our prices twice because everything is going up. Every week, we go it only gets higher and higher,” said Henao.

For example, her Latina vegan cuisine uses dozens of avocados weekly.

Every time she buys in bulk, it only gets more expensive. Now she says she has no choice but to pass it along to her customers.

“They know prices are higher now, but they don’t understand that me as an entrepreneur, I have to rise my prices,” said Henao.

She’s informing her customers the reason for the increase in prices. Thankfully, she said, they keep coming.

“They’ve seen me start from nothing. It was just a white tent and two items. So they’ve seen me grow and they support my dream,” said Henao.

She hopes even with inflation she can open her own restaurant sometime next year.