Leave it to the recession to revive a fading culinary art. Canning — the food-storage process that most people associate with their grandmothers — is making a comeback, and supermarkets that have the goods are seeing a significant sales lift.
“We are seeing sales increases of almost 40% over last year in supplies for home canning, freezing and jelly making,” wrote Mary Ellen Burris, senior vice president of consumer affairs for Wegmans Food Markets, Rochester, N.Y., in a recent online column.
Canning is, of course, synonymous with health, since the point is to store fruits, vegetables and other nutritious, perishable items for later use. Food is first treated for bacteria — a boiling water bath for acidic foods, a pressure cooker for low-acid foods — then poured into jars and vacuum-sealed. Items can theoretically last indefinitely, though many veterans don't recommend letting them sit beyond two years.
Nationally, canning supplies are outperforming most other supermarket categories, with unit sales up 18% over the past year, according to the Nielsen Co. Top-selling brand Ball has capitalized by offering bundled products with instructions for beginners, as well as all the basics — jars, lids, pectins — for seasoned canners. Ball's Fresh Preserving Kit includes a bathing pot for jars, canning rack and four-piece utensil set including lid lifter, jar lifter, funnel and bubble remover.
