John Accardi & Sons, Inc.

The master importer in New England for the most prestigious brands from Italy for over 30 years.

With regards to the overwhelming price increases of wheat, we have posted this information.

The price of wheat has more than doubled since 2000. Wheat experts point to these factors that have combined to propel prices higher. The first and most significant is to be found in Australia, one of the world's biggest wheat producers, where two harvests in a row have been ravaged by drought at a time crops in other big exporting nations, such as Argentina and Canada, have been less than stellar.

Second, stocks of wheat are at the lowest since 1983, a consequence of changing agricultural policy in both the U.S. and the EU, which no longer encourage excess production or subsidize exports as much as they used to. Commodity market speculation is also rife, as hedge funds and others bet heavily on rising prices created by worldwide demand.

And finally there's the growing use of crops for fuel. Wheat isn't directly affected; in the U.S. it's mainly corn that is used for ethanol, while in Europe soy is converted into bio diesel. But there is an indirect effect on wheat as farmers switch to more lucrative crops. That's a stance actively encouraged by the Bush administration and the EU.

As Accardi has grown to one of the largest specialty food distributors in New England, the primary focus has been to maintain a superior level of quality products and service. At our warehouse and office facility in Medford, over 3000 products are inventoried. The test kitchen, used to sample new products, has been host to many local chefs that have enjoyed captive audiences as they demonstrate their skills.

We are committed to providing our customers with quick delivery and product reliability as we continue to service the many fine restaurants, caterers, specialty food stores, country clubs, delis, and supermarkets of New England.

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