The 'horrifying' cost of energy was laid bare for SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford during a visit to Ayrshire on Friday.
A boss at Brownings the Bakers lifted the pie lid on soaring electricity costs at the famous Kilmarnock bakery as well as giving an insight into the spiralling costs of ingredients.
Brownings director Matthew Short revealed the award-winning family bakery firm was offered a fixed term contract for £17,000 per week — an eye-watering increase from £4,000 per week.
Famed for its iconic Kilmarnock pie and world champion scotch pie, Mr Short also said Brownings is already paying 120 per cent more for vegetable oil compared to a year ago, along with 50 per cent more for the meat in their pies and 100 per cent more for butter.
Mr Short said: "The headline inflation figures of 10 to 12 per cent are not the figures we are seeing; we’re paying 120 per cent more for our vegetable oil than a year ago, 50 per cent more for the meat in our pies, 100 per cent for butter and the list goes on.
"We are right in the middle of Scottish society, we value our role, and we are very close to our consumers, and they’re struggling. The idea of us just passing our costs on to them is not realistic because people will ultimately not be able to afford to eat.
"We’re asking the government to come up with a solution because it’s not just Brownings the Bakers who are dealing with this, and it’s not just bakeries, it’s every food producer in Scotland."
Alan Brown MP previously raised the issue of Brownings' soaring energy costs to then chancellor Rishi Sunak.
Both the MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun and Mr Blackford have called for the energy price cap increase to be scrapped and for parliament to be recalled immediately.
Mr Brown said: “They [Brownings] are a big employer in the area and to hear of the difficulties that lie ahead with the cost of living crisis is heartbreaking.
“I raised their case in Parliament back in March with the Chancellor who palmed it off, as he does. These businesses need real help and not a mere £1,000 tax cut.
“To go from paying £4,000 per week to £17,000 is horrifying and completely unsustainable.
“The Tories must stop burying their heads in the sand and recall parliament immediately to freeze the price cap and deliver pandemic levels of support, including scrapping VAT on fuel, doubling help for households, and introducing an energy price cap and grants for small businesses."
Mr Blackford's tour of Kilmarnock also took him to Utopia Computers where he met with managing director Craig Hume to discuss concerns over the cost of living.
Like Brownings, Utopia’s energy bills have sold from £2,000 to a staggering £9,000 per year.
Mr Hume said: "Obviously the cost of living crisis is a concern for any small business.
"We have got 13 people here that we are trying to look after and we don’t really see an easy way out at the moment.
“At the end of the day we are a profit-sharing business and that comes straight out of the pockets of the people we employ."
Commenting, after visiting both businesses Mr Blackford said: "The cost-of-living crisis is growing worse by the day — yet we have a Prime Minister missing in action and two Tory leadership candidates who are refusing to put forward any sort of plan to support people through it.
“Households need help right now — and many businesses are on the verge of closing their doors.
"They can’t afford to wait weeks or months more, without knowing when, what or whether any meaningful support will come.
"This was made clear on my recent trip to Kilmarnock with my colleague and constituency MP Alan Brown.
“By refusing to use its reserved powers to tackle the Tory-made cost of living crisis, the Westminster government has abandoned households and businesses.
"It must now get a grip and stop passing the buck, reverse the energy price cap rise, and recall parliament immediately to deliver an emergency budget that provides the support people need — including scrapping VAT on fuel, doubling support for households, and introducing an energy price cap and grants for businesses."
UK Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi said he is “working flat out” to come up with more options to support people.
However, he conceded that the final decisions over support would ultimately lie with the next prime minister- either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak.
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