Here's how much gingerbread Alberta imported ahead of the holidays

Gingerbread cookies are seen on a baking sheet. (Pexels)

Alberta has imported more than $200,000 worth of gingerbread in the lead-up to the holiday season.

Statistics Canada said imports of gingerbread and related products peak in the months before December.

“Gingerbread, which is typically flavoured with ginger, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon, is a popular holiday treat in Canada. While you can bake gingerbread at any time of year, many retail stores and bakeries only sell gingerbread during the winter holiday season,” Statistics Canada said in a news release.

Alberta appeared to bring in the bulk of its holiday gingerbread supply in September, importing $208,096. Another $551 was added in October.

Gingerbread imported from Italy made up 99 per cent of the product brought into Alberta in September.

Throughout Canada, September was the biggest month for gingerbread imports, with $4.2 million brought into the country.

Gingerbread trade began to pick up in August, with $2 million coming into the country. Another $1.4 million was imported in October nationally.

Among the provinces with imports in September, Alberta sat in fourth place behind Ontario ($2.1 million), Quebec ($1.2 million), and B.C. ($662,057).

Last year, Canada imported $17.7 million worth of gingerbread, with imports in September, October and November accounting for 79.7 per cent ($14.1 million) of the total annual imports.

Statistics for November 2024 are not yet available.