Omg!!!does Anyone Even Know What Publix Charges For A

Decorating By Foxicakes Updated 4 Feb 2014 , 4:17am by Sweet Diva Chef

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Foxicakes Posted 7 Apr 2011 , 4:48am
post #1 of 24

wedding cake??
Well, I just so happened to be at my local Publix and saw the bakery manager there. I asked him if they did Fondant cakes? I had seen a display with their other wedding cakes so I assumed that they did, but wanted to know what they charge for them since SO many brides think that they can go to a grocery store chain to save money on their cake. Anyway, he proceeds to break out his pricing matrix and said "It depends on the size of the cake" So I asked him to give me a price on a 3 tier with 12", 10" and 8" layers. He priced it out at $295.00 (I believe I remember the prices to be: 12" / $140, the 10" / $90, and the 8" / $65) and that was for "simple" decoration. Then, he corrected himself and said that the price he had just quoted was for buttercream. So we looked at the matrix together and priced out the same cake in fondant. (The 12" was $210, the 10" was like $140 and the 8" was like $90...) anyway the individual prices may be wrong, but the total of the cake was $440.00!!! And, again for "simple" decorations. If you want any type of gumpaste flowers added on (YES! believe it or not, they WILL add gumpaste decorations!!), the decorator on duty told me that even though they learn to do them in their company paid fondant classes, they dont make them in the individual stores, instead they get them from Baker's supply and she described them as "very expensive."
Oh! And, ALSO, there is an up-charge for red velvet (like 10%) and an up-charge for cream cheese buttercream ( 20%). There were other additional charges, but I didnt write them down...

Anyway, I just wanted to share that info with everyone. Personally, I just couldn't believe that they were that expensive. AND, they had a 3D type cake out on display also. It looks as if Publix is catching on that they can charge more for their cakes. To me, I think it is great!! It is just one more step in educating the public about how much these cakes really ARE worth!! And, if someone would rather buy a cake that is baked in some factory somewhere and frozen for months before they get it to their event, more power to them. However, my gut tells me that it will just send the custom cake business back where it belongs...with the CUSTOM BAKERS!!!

By the way, has anyone ever taken the time to price out any of the other major grocery store chains or Wal-mart, Sam's, Costco, BJ's, etc??? I am just wondering if any of them are charging more than $50 or $60 for larger cakes??

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CreativeCakesbyMichelle Posted 7 Apr 2011 , 6:25am
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I'm in Valdosta, Georgia and the Publix here recently put up a bunch of dispay wedding cakes, some with prices and tier sizes. I know they seemed pretty high to me. Next time I'm in there (probably tomorrow) I'll write them down and post them here.

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Foxicakes Posted 7 Apr 2011 , 7:37am
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That would be great Michelle. Now we need to find out what Kroger and Walmart charge for their cakes.

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jewordsoflife Posted 8 Apr 2011 , 1:47am
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Thanks for sharing this! I haven't sold any of my cakes yet (hope to someday soon), but today someone asked what I'd charge for a cake. I haven't responded yet because I wanted to do a little research first and because I already know that they would probably think i was crazy to ask what I thought I should get for the cake. Before reading a couple of posts, I had thought possibly 75-100 but now I'm seriously reconsidering and feel like I could possibly ask 150. What you've shared has given me some really good insight. Thanks again!

Btw, Michelle I used to live in Valdosta! icon_smile.gif I loved it there, especially the people!!! Still have many great friends there icon_smile.gif

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KathysCC Posted 8 Apr 2011 , 1:56am
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According to my serving chart, that cake serves about 120 people. The buttercream works out to about $2.50 a serving and the fondant at $3.50 a serving so that is actually cheap. Most people are charging a lot more per serving for fondant cakes, like $4.50 to $5.00 a serving.

I think Walmart is charging less than $2.00 a serving for some of their buttercream wedding cakes.

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CreativeCakesbyMichelle Posted 8 Apr 2011 , 3:53am
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I went to Publix today and only two of the display cakes had info on them. One was a 3-tier buttercream 14", 10", 7" to serve 75-100 priced at $343. The other was a 4-tier buttercream 16", 12", 9", 6" to serve 150-175 for $565. They had a bunch of other display cakes including one with fondant zebra stripes, a topsy turvy (or at least their version of a topsy turvy lol), but they didn't have any size or price info and I didn't have time to ask. So based on their servings the first cake would be $3.43-$4.57 per serving and the second would be $3.23-$3.77 per serving. I can't remember what decorations they had other than buttercream (like gumpaste flowers and stuff.)

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Jacscakes213 Posted 8 Apr 2011 , 6:17am
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First of all, I must say that this thread makes me a little homesick.. I am from Florida but live in Utah now....I sure do miss my Publix.....
Anyhow..at my walmart in salt lake city, they have a sign up that says 138 for three tiers butter creme......the one they have on display is hideous......looks like some kid tried to finger paint on it with it's own icing...lol

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Foxicakes Posted 8 Apr 2011 , 6:21am
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Well that confirms it then. Publix is charging as if they were a custom bakery. I dont know about you, but I would much rather pay my money to a real bakery for a real cake!! My Publix (I am in Acworth GA now...about 15 miles from where I used to be in Roswell) didnt have any other fondant cakes on display besides the one wedding cake. However, when I talked to the decorator yesterday, she told me that they had just gotten back from a corporate sponsored fondant training course. She had just made the display cake at that course and it was a little on the rough side to be honest. Maybe each bakery has display cakes that also kind of show off the talents of the individual decorators? Oh well, who knows??

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Foxicakes Posted 8 Apr 2011 , 6:27am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jacscakes213

First of all, I must say that this thread makes me a little homesick.. I am from Florida but live in Utah now....I sure do miss my Publix.....
Anyhow..at my walmart in salt lake city, they have a sign up that says 138 for three tiers butter creme......the one they have on display is hideous......looks like some kid tried to finger paint on it with it's own icing...lol




I'm sorry you miss your Publix. They are a great store for grocery shopping. And, as far as the Walmart cake, I think I remember seeing one on Cake Disasters site that was some sort of greenish teal with white over piping. And, if the one thats at your store even remotely resembles that one....LOL! I guess you get what you pay for...

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Jacscakes213 Posted 8 Apr 2011 , 6:43am
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When I asked thud lady at walmart about their "custom"cakes, she says " oh we make them fresh everyday..blahlah blah.....lol there was a lady there asking about them ..I just chuckled...she told the walmart decorator that she needed a tiered cake to feed two hundred by the weekend and she had a budget of 100. ... Lol I almost peed my pants...

They don't change their display or anything...there is another actual bakery here and I went in to check them out...their display has the cakes the put in it in 1972 still there... The portfolio books are falling apart and their baked goods selection ...well let's just say there are more options at Dunkin Doughnuts.... Aye..if the professional bakery standards are this low..I can only imagine what the store chains can pass by with ....

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indydebi Posted 8 Apr 2011 , 10:50am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CreativeCakesbyMichelle

I went to Publix today and only two of the display cakes had info on them. One was a 3-tier buttercream 14", 10", 7" to serve 75-100 priced at $343. The other was a 4-tier buttercream 16", 12", 9", 6" to serve 150-175 for $565. They had a bunch of other display cakes including one with fondant zebra stripes, a topsy turvy (or at least their version of a topsy turvy lol), but they didn't have any size or price info and I didn't have time to ask. So based on their servings the first cake would be $3.43-$4.57 per serving and the second would be $3.23-$3.77 per serving. I can't remember what decorations they had other than buttercream (like gumpaste flowers and stuff.)



Wilton wedding chart shows a 14/10/7 will serve 78/38/12* = 128.
It shows a 16/12/9/6 will serve 100/56/32/12=200

Add this to your file of info because if a bride had asked me for a 6/9/12/16 cake, I would have quoted her 200 servings at my per-serving-rate (NOT their serving of 150-175), which would make my cake look MUCH more expensive.

(*) Used the 6" serving amount since the chart does not have a 7" cake on it, I errored on the side of caution and used the smaller amount.

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CreativeCakesbyMichelle Posted 8 Apr 2011 , 12:43pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

Quote:
Originally Posted by CreativeCakesbyMichelle

I went to Publix today and only two of the display cakes had info on them. One was a 3-tier buttercream 14", 10", 7" to serve 75-100 priced at $343. The other was a 4-tier buttercream 16", 12", 9", 6" to serve 150-175 for $565. They had a bunch of other display cakes including one with fondant zebra stripes, a topsy turvy (or at least their version of a topsy turvy lol), but they didn't have any size or price info and I didn't have time to ask. So based on their servings the first cake would be $3.43-$4.57 per serving and the second would be $3.23-$3.77 per serving. I can't remember what decorations they had other than buttercream (like gumpaste flowers and stuff.)


Wilton wedding chart shows a 14/10/7 will serve 78/38/12* = 128.
It shows a 16/12/9/6 will serve 100/56/32/12=200

Add this to your file of info because if a bride had asked me for a 6/9/12/16 cake, I would have quoted her 200 servings at my per-serving-rate (NOT their serving of 150-175), which would make my cake look MUCH more expensive.

(*) Used the 6" serving amount since the chart does not have a 7" cake on it, I errored on the side of caution and used the smaller amount.




I though the servings seemed a bit off but I didn't take the time to check them with the Wilton chart. Thanks for pointing that out.

My best friend worked as a cashier at a Publix in Gainesville, Fl during high school and college and when she got married they ordered the cake from the Publix she used to work at. She remembered that the decorator in that bakery was really good so she wasn't worried about it (and she's not real picky with cake, unlike me lol). Apparently either that decorator was no longer there or someone else did her cake and she ended up with a very lopsided cake. Like noticeably leaning in the wedding pictures. She was beyond pissed. I like Publix as a grocery store but definitely wouldn't trust them with my wedding cake.

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sweetmonkeycheese Posted 8 Apr 2011 , 1:49pm
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When I was getting married (5 yrs ago) many brides were doing Publix cakes, they were cheaper than most legit bakeries around town and most ppl I know love a publix cake (myself included) it is the only grocery store cake I will buy and I I just love them. (best frosting I have ever had, ya know you can buy just the frosting and eat it like a bowl of icecream!)

I had a package deal from my caterer that let me pick from a few different bakeries so I went w/ one of them (very yummy cake and looked great, it's in my pictures!!! )

I think many ppl will continue to use publix for a wedding cake, many of us grew up loving publix, to many of us publix is the "it cake". You know you love the flavors and you dont have to take time for a tasting (wh/ I have read on here how some baker will not do unless the order is for such and such money/size wedding so as a bride if you have to deal w/ scheduling time (that dont always work for you) or dealing w/ some bakers that done want to do a tasting for a smaller wedding cake (like a two tiered) I can see why a bride would still go w/ a Publix cake even if it's the same price. You know what you are getting.

last week we had my son's b-day party and I need tray foods (lil sandwiches and such) I made a spread sheet to looked up some other places to price them out - normally I would never think of any place but publix, but the prices seemed high so I wanted to check out other places. Puiblix hands down was cheaper and I know I like their sandwiches, no worry there. so I placed my order.

On the other hand, I do think it will help other bakeries, if ppl know they will pay the same for publix, then maybe they will want to try something new, to make it more special, I iknda felt like my cake was more special since it was not a publix cake.

My friend said her friend called publix recently about a plain white wedding cake. and was told x amount then the next week called for a birthday cake (two tiered plain white, same cake) and was told a much lower price... hat kinda sucks, I hope it's not true and that the price quate was on two different cakes, and not just an upcharge for a wedding cake.

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sweetmonkeycheese Posted 14 Apr 2011 , 8:07pm
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sine it was said that publix is starting to list their prices w/ out having to ask anyone, I took a look (the wee-lil-one has to have his free cookie so I am in the area everytime we go to publix) I never bothered to look at the display only cakes (I look at the real ones and drool)

they had a 2 tiered babyshower cake that served about 40 ppl and the list price was..... .160 bucks

wow, I had no idea it was that much. I had just made a babyshower cake last wk and now I am so happy to have this hobby, I knew I was saving money by making my own cakes, but no idea how much!

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1997304

mine might not be professional, but it aint 160 bucks either!

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Davwattie Posted 14 Apr 2011 , 8:33pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sweetmonkeycheese

sine it was said that publix is starting to list their prices w/ out having to ask anyone, I took a look (the wee-lil-one has to have his free cookie so I am in the area everytime we go to publix) I never bothered to look at the display only cakes (I look at the real ones and drool)

they had a 2 tiered babyshower cake that served about 40 ppl and the list price was..... .160 bucks

wow, I had no idea it was that much. I had just made a babyshower cake last wk and now I am so happy to have this hobby, I knew I was saving money by making my own cakes, but no idea how much!

http://cakecentral.com/gallery/1997304

mine might not be professional, but it aint 160 bucks either!





Your cake is gorgeous thumbs_up.gif

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silverdragon997 Posted 14 Apr 2011 , 8:53pm
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The Albertson's near where I work in CA has a wedding cake display with prices. I don't remember the prices, but I may have to go in an look.

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mjhinga Posted 23 Aug 2011 , 2:00am
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My question is.... Does publix bake their cakes for a wedding cake in the store or are they ordered in a kit from a warehouse and shipped to the store frozen? Has anyone thought about that? The only thing I have ever heard about Publix wedding cakes are negative ones!!!!! Dry cake, leaning cake, a cake that fall over before pictures were taken, and very expensive.

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dreamdelights Posted 23 Aug 2011 , 2:35am
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I knew their cakes were not cheap because although I am from New York I visited Publix in Acworth, Georgia when I was thinking of buying a cake for my niece's sweet sixteen party. I decided to make the cake myself in the end. Other people think they could get it cheaper at Publix as oppose to a custom bakery but they will learn.

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QTCakes1 Posted 23 Aug 2011 , 2:46pm
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I'm going to price the stores here. I know when I first moved here and I asked where I could get a good cake everyone one said the same "it" store. First, I thought they would say a bakery, NOT a grocery chain and second, it was just a typical shortening, based artificial tasting grocery store cake. The only grocery store cakes I somewhat like are in CA, but they aren't super cheap either. They have actual whipped cream and use actual fruit in their cakes, not just that whipped icing stuff and fruit sleeves.

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SammieB Posted 23 Aug 2011 , 3:16pm
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I've never had a tiered cake from Publix before, but I've had plenty of their sheet cakes, and the decorating was always really nice. Definitely not a custom bakery, but still, definitely worth what you pay. They've always tasted great too. I saw the wedding cake display in my store, but I haven't priced anything. I may have to ask around and see what they are going for here.

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KMKakes Posted 23 Aug 2011 , 9:38pm
post #21 of 24

On the publix website, they list the size of the cakes they use for each of their wedding cakes, etc. You can easily call and name the cake you are wanting from their site with whatever customations you or what people are inquiring from you and get a price. I know someone that did so. They were able to get a quote not only on the price of the modified cake but on the cost of the delivery and rental of equipment!

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LoveMeSomeCake615 Posted 23 Aug 2011 , 11:47pm
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I've never had Publix wedding cake, but I have had their party cakes recently, and I was not impressed. The white cake tasted very chemical-y, and the carrot was just blah. I could barely choke the icing down, it tasted like the canned stuff to me. I know I'm a cake snob now though, I used to love the canned icing, and now if it ain't real buttercream, no way! icon_biggrin.gif

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Sweet Diva Chef Posted 4 Feb 2014 , 4:14am
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I love this post!!  You are so correct!!  I was a Publix cake decorator for almost 5 years before I went to culinary school, and then opened my own cake business.

 

I have always thought Publix to be outrageous with their pricing, because I knew where the cake comes from! Their warehouse! It's allowed to be kept frozen for up to 3 months!! In addition, they use that fondant from a bucket. That tasteless, chemically preserved mess!!

 

- No thanks, I'll keep baking my wedding cakes fresh, and making my delicious marshmallow fondant as requested. My customers love it!

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Sweet Diva Chef Posted 4 Feb 2014 , 4:17am
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Yes. The cakes are baked in the sizes needed at the warehouse. Frozen, packaged in cases of 6 - 8 at a time, and trucked to the appropriate store.

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