At Foley's In Braintree, Prices Are Rising But Quality Remains

BRAINTREE, MA — What you're about to read won't surprise you if you've entered a grocery store, searched the home market or, generally, left your home in the last year: Things are more expensive than they used to be.

Unfortunately for Braintree residents that includes at Foleys Ice Cream Shoppe.

The Hancock Street staple has been serving the community for years, providing a cool and sweet reprieve from the summer heat and a cherry on top of any celebratory occasion.

Recently, however, patrons have noticed higher price points for their scoops, sundaes and even sprinkles.

Owner Jennifer Foley has heard those questions and, in a moment of transparency, broke down why the increases are necessary.

"When you ask, either I or my employees respond with our honest stock answer: our prices have increased," Foley wrote on social media.

She shared that, from April 2020 to May 2023, the cost of ice cream Foleys buys went up 65 percent. The cost of that ice cream increased four times in the last 14 months alone.

Hot fudge? Up 32 percent. Sprinkles? Up 38 percent.

The packaging used to package pints of ice cream has increased too, up 57 percent.

Even as Foleys deals with price increases, the owner said the business is still balancing quality with cost.

While Foleys still stocks pure chocolate Guittard sprinkles, they now bake their own cookies and brownies due to a price hike from their supplier that became "cost prohibitive."

"I hear your concerns and I understand them," said Foley. "I wish the increases weren’t as steep as they have been over the last couple of years. I don’t have the ability or space to buy pallets of product as a small business, in every sense of the word."

Higher prices won't stop Foley's, and, based on the response to the explainer, it won't stop consumers from enjoying their product either.