international shipping and high gluten flour

[Johnny the Gent]

I recently e-mailed KA to see if they ship internationally, and I got the response : No.  I was dissapointed.  Still am.

What other creative alternatives are there to getting high gluten flour- like all trumps, or KASL?  Perhaps a distributor would be better?  Maybe Food Source International?

Any suggestions would be much appreciated. I figure that even after intl shipping costs, I´d end up saving.  I´ve seen a 500 gram bag of high gluten flour sell for nearly $2.50 cents.  And from what I understand, a 25 pound bag in the US you can get for less than 20 bucks!!!

Thanks guys,
Jon

[chiguy]

 hi Johnny,
 I can't believe $2.50 for 500Grams of high Gluten flour. I seen a 50lb bag of High Gluten flour at The Restaurant Depot here in Chicago for $9.99. Where are you living?  you should have access to some brand of bread flour. Why don't you try to locate a bakery in the area and see if they can help you. They may be able to get you the flour for cost. FYI, i like All Trumps much better than KASL. Chiguy

[Johnny the Gent]

hi Johnny,
 I can't believe $2.50 for 500Grams of high Gluten flour. I seen a 50lb bag of High Gluten flour at The Restaurant Depot here in Chicago for $9.99. Where are you living?  you should have access to some brand of bread flour. Why don't you try to locate a bakery in the area and see if they can help you. They may be able to get you the flour for cost. FYI, i like All Trumps much better than KASL. Chiguy

Chiguy,

It´s absurd, but it´s the reality here.  There isn´t real market demand for this type of flour.  Most brazilians eat 1-2 french rolls in a day, along with biscuits and pastries.  Bagels (which also require high gluten flour) don't exist, at least in my neck of the woods. 

Most bakers I´ve talked to are unfamiliar with high gluten flour.

If all else fails, on my next trip to see my family in the US, I´m coming back with flour, lots of flour! lol

[Grog]

I can confirm Johnny the Gent's problem.  I am an American living in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.  When it comes to wheat flour, the local supermarkets carry bleached all-purpose and (in the more exclusive stores) whole wheat flour.  There is virtually nothing else.  I stumbled across one source of high-gluten flour in the city, and each month I buy out their entire stock (6-8 half kilo bags).  It appears to be ordinary flour with wheat gluten added to the mix.  It costs 6 reais (US$2.75) per half kilo! 

BTW, I have tried international shipping for a bunch of my cooking needs, but customs always confiscates it, sends it back, or charges me a 200% markup for duties.