KFC chicken shortages, reduced menu as supply chain issues bite

Getting your hands on some KFC chicken isn’t so easy these days, as supply chain issues force the fast food outlet to reduce its menu.

Fast food company KFC has confirmed it is facing supply shortages on chicken and that some of its restaurants will offer a smaller menu as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to rage on and affect businesses across the country.

“Unfortunately our supply chain has been disrupted, and some of our restaurants will be offering a reduced menu,” a KFC spokesman told news.com.au.

“We’re sorry for any issues this causes our customers – we’re doing everything we can to help our suppliers get back on track.”

Signs declaring sold-out items have popped up at stores in recent days, according to 7News.

“Due to supplier issues, we have no original chicken, zingers, fillets or wings. Please refer to sold-out stickers for available items,” one sign read.

KFC has a reduced menu as supply chain disruptions have caused shortages. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

It’s not the first time KFC has dealt with a shortage of chicken during the pandemic.

In July 2020 some Victorian stores had to close or reduce opening hours.

Changes were made to isolation requirements for supply chain industries on Monday to deal with the high number of workers in isolation.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the change would allow close contacts working in critical food and grocery production, manufacturing, logistics, and distributions facilities to be able to go to work if certain requirements were met.

“So, those who are driving the truck to deliver the food, those stacking the shelves at night, those in the distribution centres, those who are in the abattoirs, the manufacturing places that are producing food,” Mr Morrison said.

Critical workers who are close contacts must get negative rapid antigen test result on day one and take a RAT every second day until day six.

The number of workers in isolation across the supply chain has resulted in empty supermarket shelves. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Last week, Coles introduced buying limits on chicken breasts, chicken thighs, mince and sausages.

In an email to customers, Coles chief executive Steven Cain said he expected it would take “several weeks to fully recover” from supply issues.

“An increase in Covid case numbers in the community has required more people to isolate, which has meant fewer people are available to work in Australia – including in the food industry,” he wrote.

“At Coles this has resulted in disruptions to deliveries from our suppliers which in turn has impacted the availability of some products in our stores.”

Woolworths have not introduced buying limits, but in an email to customers chief executive Brad Banducci said there may be gaps on the shelf or substitutions in online orders because the number of workers in the supply chain in isolation.

“We are experiencing Covid-drive absences of 20 per cent-plus in our distribution centres and 10 per cent-plus in our stores,” he said on Friday.

Originally published as KFC chicken shortages, reduced menu as supply chain issues bite