Why is brown sugar more expensive than the same brand of white sugar ?

Question

I have always assumed that brown sugar is partly refined raw sugar. Therefore, to produce brown sugar, I would have thought that the factory just stops the refining process one stage or two stages early, thus saving on manufacturing costs.

By the same token, one would expect dark brown sugar to be cheaper than light brown sugar - but it's usually the same price.

Answer 1

Brown sugar is a sucrose sugar product with a distinctive brown color due to the presence of molasses. It is either an unrefined or partially refined soft sugar consisting of sugar crystals with some residual molasses content or produced by the addition of molasses to refined white sugar.

Brown sugar contains from 3.5% molasses (light brown sugar) to 6.5% molasses (dark brown sugar). The product is naturally moist from the hygroscopic nature of the molasses and is often labelled as "soft." The product may undergo processing to give a product that flows better for industrial handling. The addition of dyes and/or other chemicals may be permitted in some areas or for industrial products.

Particle size is variable but generally less than granulated white sugar, products for industrial use e.g. as an ingredient for industrial production of cakes may be based on caster sugar
molasses is expensive

Answer 2

Brown sugar is, as you suggest, partially refined sugar, but it is also a mixture of sugar and molasses, which is a by-product of the sugar refining process.

The reason for the higher price is that molasses that comes from the processing of cane sugar has an improved taste over that of molasses from beet sugar.

Further, the difference between dark brown and light brown sugar is the amount of molasses (dark brown has 6.5 percent molasses v. 3.5 percent molasses for light brown). Thus, the price difference is not going to be much different.

Answer 3

Ever notice how foods that are LOWER in calories, fat, etc..Are more expensive than stuff with all the fat still in them?
You'd think since they AREN'T adding fats to something it would be less expensive, but in reality it costs more....
I never thought about Brown Sugar being more expensive...but you're right, it is...
Maybe it's because it's more NATURAL than it's white counterpart?????

Answer 4

Brown sugar is not used as much, so they don't make as much of it. This means the production and packaging costs end up being slightly higher on a per bag basis.

Answer 5

I wish I knew, I drink it in my tea!