LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The omicron surge has worsened some supply chain issues during the pandemic, leading to scarcity on store shelves.
The Kentucky Grocers and Convenience Store Association said in December and early January that the variant caused staffing shortages that trickled down to the store level.
"They're putting in their regular orders and the truck may come in half full of what they ordered," Director of Communications and Public Affairs Steve McClain said.
McClain said smaller retailers may have fewer supply issues because they are more flexible than chains, which will be crucial for consumers, especially if they need to find items like meat that are high in demand and very low in supply.
At Kingsley Meats and Catering, owner Jeff Fisher said they haven't been hit by the same empty coolers seen at some grocery stores.
“My operation might need 10,000 pounds of meat a week," he said. "Whereas a big grocery store chain might need 10 million pounds a week.”
Fisher said if one supplier is out of something, he can find another one. Larger chains might instead rely on equally large-scale manufacturers.
“I don’t have just one supplier and nobody tells me who I have to buy from," he said.
However, Fisher said what he has seen is rising prices. Everything from chicken to prime rib has spiked, with the biggest increases in luxury items like crab and lobster.
“While I’m able to get all I need in the grand scheme, there isn’t enough for everybody and so when supply is low, prices rise," Fisher said.
For one pound of canned crab, Fisher said the price was just over $40 a few months ago. Now, the same amount goes for more than $70.
“Prices are going way up, that’s the part that’s kind of scary," he said.
McClain said prices are rising across the board. At the chains, the scarcity issues are being caused by labor shortages that eventually lead to difficulty getting products to the stores.
"Your more labor-intensive cuts, there may not be as much of them because it takes longer to do that," he said.
McClain said customers do have the option to turn to local shops. He said grocery stores that have an in-house butcher are also more likely to have stock of meat products.
Fisher said the solution is to let go of your shopping list and be flexible.
"You might have been planning to have lasagna one night, and you might end up having pork chops," he said.
In response to supply chain shortages at major grocery stores, state experts said one strategy is to grocery shop at off times of the day. They recommend not shopping after work on weekdays or during typically busy times on the weekends.
Contact reporter Grace McKenna at gmckenna@whas11.com. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.
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