Bakeries Seek Ban

Councilwoman Joan L. Krajewski wants to amend the Philadelphia citywide Trans Fat ban for which she voted and which became law in February.

She's introduced a new ordinance that will exempt small independent bakeries like Stock's in Port Richmond, The Dining Car and the Holmesburg Bakery.

Those mom-and-pop independent bakeries have reached out to her to exempt them from the trans fat ban. These bakeries, which have been in business for decades, if not over half a century, aren't the big guys. Nor are they quick-fry burger and chicken places. The original legislation did not consider their dilemma.

"This type of umbrella legislation unfairly affects some businesses more than others," explains Mark Stock, a third-generation baker. "You see, it's not simply a matter of changing our frying oil," said. "We would need to change our recipe, one that has been the backbone of our business that has been enjoyed by many generations of Philadelphians."

Krajewski, whose district is home to scores of ethnic bakeries, released a letter from Nancy Morozin, owner of The Dining Car Restaurant on Frankford Avenue near Academy Road. Nancy wrote, "We must have an exemption to this new trans fat ban. Anyone who does baking knows you must have some fat in your mixes and doughs. This ban will put us at an unfair advantage with commercial bakeries that sell in supermarkets as well as the rest of the bakeries that operate in New Jersey and the rest of the City. I consider it a particular burden for those of us close to the Bucks/Montgomery county borders."

Morozin said her famous Jewish Apple Cake and deep-dish pies are prohibited from using trans fats. But cakes from Tastykake and Entenmann's are exempt because their product is sold in a manufacturer's original sealed package.

The original bill's sponsor, Councilman Juan Ramos, asked Krajewski to hold the amendment or withdraw it; to which Krajewski replied, "No, I want these bakeries to come in and testify in front of City Council."

Krajewski plans to bring in several of the independent bakeries to offer Council Members a taste of their prize winners, with and without trans fat. They'll taste the difference, she notes.
"If I have to stop using my family's recipe, my pound cake will look and taste like cornbread," said Mark Stock. "This new trans fat-free product also costs more and bakes horrible -- forget about trying to ice our cakes with it."

Apparently, Stock's Bakery said they knew nothing about the trans fat ban until it made the front page of the newspapers, when it was already too late to testify about it. "We were never asked how it would affect us and our business. Council didn't care about the little guys," said Kristin Stock DeCarlo, who started a petition drive and posted her family's store with signs telling them about the trans fat ban and urging them to call City Hall in opposition.

"Our customers are livid. They stand in line and call the Mayor's office on their cell phones to complain about this law. They tell him that pound cake didn't kill over 400 people last year on the streets of Philadelphia," DeCarlo said.

"We're really hurting the bottom line and traditions at our mom-and-pop bakeries with this trans fat ban," said Krajewski. "Stock's pound cake recipe was handed down by four generations and now we're regulating them and telling that Grandmom Stock's secret is now illegal?"

Even though Krajewski feels City Council was not elected to watch over people's diets, she is not looking to overturn the Trans Fat Bill. She wants an exemption for establishments that prepare and then sell their products on the premises.