topic Re: Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage in Community Chat

Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage

novamc1 — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 10:14:31 GMT

from Bloomberg News, April 29

The popularity of chicken -- from sandwiches and tenders to nuggets and wings -- is fueling such demand for fried poultry that America is starting to run short.

KFC says it’s struggling to keep up with soaring demand for its new sandwich, while North Carolina-based chicken-and biscuits-chain Bojangles reported outages of tenders across its 750 locations.

“We’re experiencing a system-wide shortage. But they will be back soon,” Bojangles’ corporate Twitter account wrote earlier this week in response to a customer frustrated by being unable to find the company’s chicken tenders.

Chicken, which is the most popular meat in the U.S., is finding a new level of demand after Popeyes introduced a sandwich in 2019 that went viral and sold out in weeks. The frenzy has now caught on at other chains as well, with McDonald’s Corp. and KFC, owned by Yum! Brands Inc., reporting this week that their new fried-chicken sandwiches are selling well beyond expectations.

“Demand for the new sandwich has been so strong that, coupled with general tightening in domestic chicken supply, our main challenge has been keeping up with that demand,” Yum Chief Executive Officer David Gibbs said Wednesday in a conference call.

KFC saw its comparable-store sales soar 14% in the most recent quarter in the U.S., due in part to its new chicken sandwich that’s selling twice as much as past new sandwiches.

McDonald’s, which also reported higher-than-expected first-quarter sales, didn’t mention any supply constraints when it reported earnings Thursday but did say sales so far of its new chicken sandwich line are “far exceeding expectations.”

Poultry companies have been struggling to keep up with demand from quick-service restaurants. The biggest challenge for Pilgrim’s Pride Corp., the second-biggest U.S. chicken producer, is labor, according to Chief Executive Officer Fabio Sandri. The company expects to pay $40 million more this year to pay and retain workers, Sandri said Thursday.

Wingstop Inc.’s chairman, Charles Morrison, whose business is built on chicken, also mentioned the problem this week.

“Suppliers are struggling just as many in our industry are, to hire people to process chicken, thus placing unexpected pressure on the amount of birds that can be processed and negatively affecting supply of all parts of the chicken in the U.S., not just wings,” he said in a conference call.

Some food companies may be able to capitalize on the opportunity: To try to capture some of the red-hot demand, Beyond Meat Inc. is planning to start selling a plant-based chicken product this summer, Bloomberg News reported earlier this week.

— With assistance by Michael Hirtzer, and Breanna T Bradham

Re: Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage

Dusty1 — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 13:46:53 GMT

It's going to get worse! On May 28 McDonalds is starting to serve a BTS Meal (If you don't know BTS you should. They are a Korean group of 7 performers & they are very entertaining. They do sing & dance, but they also do a variety of shows & they are hilarious.)

They mostly sing in Korean, but they released a song in English, "Dynamite", that has been on the Billboard Hot 100 for a while now.

And, their fans are serious. The BTS meal (Supposedly just a favorite of theirs to order.) includes a 10 piece Chicken McNugget.

Re: Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage

Sooner — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 13:50:18 GMT

This has all the taste and smell of a huge publicity stunt. Hold the bologna please.

Re: Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage

CelticCrafter — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 14:52:16 GMT

@Sooner wrote:
This has all the taste and smell of a huge publicity stunt. Hold the bologna please.

No, my daughter is in the restaurant industry and there are problems getting wings.

Re: Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage

novamc1 — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 14:55:34 GMT

I didn't post it, but another story has appeared in the past few days saying that feeding poultry has gotten much more expensive. Apparently, chicken feed isn't "chicken feed" when it comes to price and availability.

Sad that we--in the "Land of Plenty"-- have so many hiccups in the food chain that put dents in the food budget for many people.

Re: Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage

Spurt — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 15:04:54 GMT

While supply may be limited in restaurants and fast food places, there's been no shortages in the grocery stores here---plenty of chicken in the meat section, and they even have lots of pre-cooked frozen wings, and chicken patties too.....I think someone is trying to create panic and drive up the price...like many things during the pandemic...

Re: Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage

SharkE — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 15:21:59 GMT

Amarillo is getting ready to open a Golden Chick. I prefer chicken and turkey over beef. Husband don't. On 1 street, we have a Popeyes, Chick filet, Cane's chicken, now a Golden Chick when it opens and I bet the grand opening with be manned by the police conducting traffic.

When they opened up Cane's chicken they had 2 cops out there making sure peace was maintained. We drove on by. LOL Wait till the newness wears off. People in Amarillo, area go nuts over any new eating place opening up.

Other chicken outfits are up on the interstate too. Chicken wing joints.

Re: Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage

novamc1 — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 15:24:20 GMT

Conspiracy theories don't count for much among people who go to the grocery store and find the price of chicken higher than it was a year ago. If the market supports a higher price, the price will be higher---economics 101.

Pork looks like a relative bargain, but that's just what I see when I shop.

Re: Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage

Sooner — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 15:24:38 GMT

No shortages here but sure I can understand wings being in short supply.

There are two per chicken. How many does one person eat in a sitting? And how many chicken wing recipes do you see every day?

There are whole restaurants centered around wings. So if you chomp down 10 wings in a combo pack that's 5 chickens. Which would mean you could eat 10 breasts, 10 legs, 10 thighs also to consume the same proportion of a chicken.

Re: Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage

stevieb — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 16:15:12 GMT

I prepare and eat chicken and occasioally buy fast food chicken because chicken is an option but fortunately am not a big fan. Have never undestood the mass appeal of wings, nuggets, tenders and so on...

Re: Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage

happycat — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 15:31:31 GMT

My local news interviewed a restaurant owner here in Arkansas earlier this week. Chicken wings are a big part of his menu and he said the supply is not there and he can't get all he needs. Has had to close early. He has had to lay people off.

But when I went to Sams 2 weeks ago, there was plenty of all kinds of chicken.

I still can't find my diet cherry 7 up anywhere though. Its been over a year now.

Re: Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage

SharkE — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 15:39:07 GMT

I haven't been able to find Smuckers butterscotch topping sice Moby ****** was a sardine.

Something about Amarillo, Tx area don't know what it is. No jars in stores, ice cream places never heard of butterscotch they look at you like you just asked for something unseemly.

So weird ! Wait till I go back up to Ind in the Fall and stock up and bring home.

Re: Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage

deepwaterdotter — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 16:12:26 GMT

@SharkE If you don't mind a little time at the stove, I make my own butterscotch sauce:

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

8 tbsp refrigerated butter

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

Stir sugar, cream, 4 tbsp butter, and salt over heat in saucepan until big bubbles appear on surface. Take off heat and stir in rest of butter and vanilla. Pour in dish to cool for 1/2 hour before serving.

Re: Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage

Spurt — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 16:17:22 GMT

@SharkE wrote:
I haven't been able to find Smuckers butterscotch topping sice Moby ****** was a sardine.

Something about Amarillo, Tx area don't know what it is. No jars in stores, ice cream places never heard of butterscotch they look at you like you just asked for something unseemly.

So weird ! Wait till I go back up to Ind in the Fall and stock up and bring home.

@SharkE

Here in South Texas we have it in jars, but the Smuckers Butterscotch brand is the only option....I guess butterscotch isnt a big seller in Texas....

Re: Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage

SharkE — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 16:32:29 GMT

@deepwaterdotter wrote:
@SharkE If you don't mind a little time at the stove, I make my own butterscotch sauce:

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 tbsp refrigerated butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

Stir sugar, cream, 4 tbsp butter, and salt over heat in saucepan until big bubbles appear on surface. Take off heat and stir in rest of butter and vanilla. Pour in dish to cool for 1/2 hour before serving.

I tried making it and it was real thick and lumpy. after being refrigerated we had to microwave it LOL Husband said "this ain't worth a ***"

hahhahaha I ordered it online, but, that's pricey just wait till I can buy up North.

Re: Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage

Tinkrbl44 — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 16:39:25 GMT

Chicken has always been so popular that I'm surprised more isn't done with turkey .... other than at Thanksgiving.

Most things you can do with chicken can also be done with turkey, yet I've never seen a turkey restaurant.

Re: Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage

chessylady — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 16:46:38 GMT

While I eat a lot of chicken, if I can't get it,I will choose more plant based foods. I rarely eat fast food. I belong to the Rancho Gordo Bean club so I am cooking beans about once a week.

Re: Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage

SusieQ_2 — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 17:23:13 GMT

I should have known our weekly visit to Wing Stop could have dire consequences on the market. Bayou BBQ, Spicy Lemon, Mango Habanero, Hickory Smoked--if you know...you know. They're delicious.

It's really no surprise with all the places having gone chicken crazy recently. KFC's Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders are all the rage right now and I have to say they look really good!

Re: Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage

Dusty1 — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 18:01:45 GMT

@deepwaterdotter It sounds really good, but I don't know if I would like it on chicken.

Re: Fried chicken demand causing poultry shortage

novamc1 — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 18:11:40 GMT

Chicken might be plentiful in grocery stores but scarcer for restaurants, for a variety of reasons.

Certain processing facilities might be set up to process, pack and ship specifically for restaurants, hotels and institutional food service kitchens, but not packaged appropriately for retail grocery sales.

It could be much like the bind that large-scale vegetable growers were in, when the pandemic hit and wholesale markets such as restaurants shut down.

People wondered why farmers couldn't sell that produce directly to individual consumers. They simply weren't set up to harvest, package and sell that way, so some crops were left to rot in the fields. No way could enough people visit remote farming areas where huge crops are grown on many acres, anyway.

Eventually some farmers were able to change their game plan and could pack up wholesale quantities for donation to charitable food drives.