Beb’s Bagels in Edmonton has removed its customer-favourite smoke meat sandwich from the menu indefinitely as beef prices rise. The shop is on Whyte Avenue, and co-owner Lindon Carter said the sandwich helped the business establish and operate its physical storefront.

Carter said the shop paid $10 a kilogram for beef three years ago, and the price has since reached as high as $17 a kilogram. He said the eatery does not accept tips so it can provide staff with consistent paycheques. Rising food costs, combined with that approach, left him facing a difficult decision.

“It’s devastating for a local shop,” Carter said. “We want to keep quality as high as we can, and that’s our decision. “We could go with lesser quality meats for that sandwich in particular (but) decided to take it off the menu, because we just couldn’t justify that.”

The decision comes as food affordability remains a concern for consumers. Moshe Lander, an economics professor at Concordia University, said inflation has led some foods to double in price over a generation while incomes have not kept pace.

“Canadians are concerned about cost of living and affordability issues. If it’s not the price end of things, it’s the income end of things and we’re really not focusing on that part of the story,” Lander said. He also described Canada’s food market as uncompetitive. Global News Edmonton’s Bianca Millions reported on the shop’s decision and Lander’s comments about the market in a video accompanying the report.

Based on reporting by Global News Edmonton.