Plenty of beer available despite shortage, NT brewers say

Craft beer is the latest product to be affected by the national Omicron-fuelled supply chain crisis – but there may be a saving grace in the Territory.

CRAFT beer is the latest product to be affected by the national Omicron-fuelled supply chain crisis – but Territory brewers say there’s plenty to drink here.

Interstate, independent brewers have struggled to get the materials they need to keep making beer, an industry body said.

There's supposedly a shortage of beer as stocks run low due to Covid but local breweries still have plenty so shop local, says Kylie Asanovski of the Purple Mango Brewery. Picture: Glenn Campbell

However, in the NT, brewers are saying the only reason they’re running short is they’re struggling to keep up with demand.

Purple Mango Brewery’s Kylie Asanovski said the rural restaurant had no issues finding supplies to brew new beer. “The only reason we’ve got a bit of a shortage is because people keep buying it,” she said. But there was always more available, she said, as she encouraged Territorians to shop local.

Interstate, however, the massive amount of workers in isolation is slowing down the can’s journey from brewery to bottle shop.

“There have been a lot of challenges in the last two years, but I don’t think there’s anything like what we’re seeing now,” said Kylie Lethbridge, chief executive of the Independent Brewers Association.

“We‘ve got an 8 per cent overall market share, but we employ 50 per cent of the industry, so we’re more labour-intensive.

“So if you have half your workforce off, because they’re either isolating with Covid or have been a close contact, then that’s a massive challenge for meeting production schedules.”

The nation’s indie brewing scene’s total revenue was $892m in 2019-2020, with some 600 breweries employing over 33,000 people, according to the IBA.

Independent butchers unaffected by shortages

INDEPENDENT butchers across Darwin remain largely unaffected by the meat supply shortage.

Besides, that is, an uptick in clientele.

Dobbie’s Butcher owner Richard Dobbie said there was a noticeable increase in customers coming across from the supermarket, as their meat products fly off the shelves.

Dobbie’s Butchery owners Richard and Rachael with there fully stocked cabinet. Picture: Julianne Osborne

“I’ve definitely seen a turnaround from the benefits of those supermarket shoppers coming to the butcher for their meat,” he said.

“And I’ve spoken with four other shops in Darwin — we’re all in the same boat.”

Mr Dobbie said the Nightcliff business, which is located across the shopping centre from Woolworths, had been so inundated as a result of the business boom they sold out of meat this week.

But he wanted to remind the public that their supply was stable and their range was sound.

He said butchers like himself were able to get around some of the shortages as they deal directly with the abattoir.

“We receive the whole carcass so we can break it up accordingly,” he said.

Mr Dobbie said he noticed one of the biggest sellers recently was beef products, with sausages often the first to go in the big supermarkets.

Logistics Minister Eva Lawler defends empty shelves, saying supply lines still strong

INFRASTRUCTURE, Planning and Logistics Minister Eva Lawler has reassured Territorians that supply and logistics lines are strong, amid scenes of empty shelves at Coles and Woolworths.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday morning, Ms Lawler said the current shortages particularly in meat products had been the result of panic buying.

Supply chains in Eastern states have been impacted by Covid outbreaks in meatpacking facilities, distribution centres and freight.

Shelves have been left empty because of panic buying, Minister Lawler said on Wednesday.

But Ms Lawler denied these complications in larger states had translated into shortages in the Territory.

“I think you’ll find that our supply chains have been robust,” she said.

“I can assure Territorians they do not need to panic buy. We have very robust supply chains.

“Our distribution centres are very different in the Northern Territory, very different in Darwin to Sydney or Melbourne where you might have hundreds of people at a distribution centre.”

Item limits have been reinstated at major supermarkets in response to shortages.

Small business profits from panic buying

WHILE Woolies and Coles are facing major delays in the delivery of stock, one Darwin business owner says it just means people are shopping more locally.

Nightcliff 5 Star Supermarket owner Linford Feick says he’s selling “well above” his normal sales.

“I was looking through my invoices for my order that is coming in from Adelaide and there’s only about three or four per cent that hasn’t been supplied,” Mr Feick said. “We’ve noticed substantial increases in super commodities like fresh meat, bread rolls — we’re selling well above our normal or what we consider to be our normal sales.”

Despite panic buying beginning at the major chains, Mr Feick said his store has been relatively unaffected by the practice.

“We’ve never experienced it since, there have been instances with lock downs and lockouts but never to the extent that it was initially,” he said.

“I think if everyone just behaves as normal, then there should be enough to go around for everybody.”

Meanwhile, the largest supplier of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs), Stelph Medical director Samuel Ward said there was no need for people to panic buy RATs during this time either. “There’s tests coming into the country all of the time, it’s a matter of using the tests as needed and not stockpiling and hoarding,” Mr Ward said.

“Like toilet paper, there will be enough for everyone who needs a test.”

SDA NT director Shlok Sharma reminded shoppers to remain respectful towards staff. “They can’t control stock shortages – they can’t control wait times and they don’t know when RATs will be in stock again,” Mr Shlok said.

CDU behavioural scientist Dr Kim Caudwell called this phenomena “intolerance of uncertainty”.

“We will all get through any shortage if everyone agrees to keep calm and buy a normal amount,” he said.

EARLIER, MONDAY 1PM: WORKERS could bear the brunt of abuse as Covid-related supermarket shortages hit the Territory.

The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association, which represents supermarket and food processing workers, has called for calm as the pandemic once again caused shelves to be stripped of stock.

Northern Territory Director Shlok Sharma said nationwide the supply chain across was currently under significant pressure as hundreds of thousands of workers were in Covid isolation.

Mr Sharma said this had hit every point in the supermarket chain, from manufacturers to transport drivers, distribution centres and frontline retail workers.

Despite the shelves looking eerily like the 2020 panic buying phase, Mr Sharma said this was an entirely new challenge.

“Customers must continue to do the right thing and remain calm. The last thing we need right now is a run on the shops or panic buying,” he said.

Mr Sharma urged Territorians to only buy what they needed and to not take their frustrations out on workers.

“No matter how busy it gets, no matter how low stock levels are or how long the queue – there’s never any excuse for abusing retail workers,” he said.

“We know many Territorians are incredibly stressed right now but there is absolutely no excuse for abusive behaviour towards retail workers.

“When you’re out doing your shop, remember: retail workers don’t deserve a serve.”

INITIAL SUN, 1PM: TERRITORIANS have been warned to expect gaps on the supermarket shelves as Covid disrupts supply chains around the country.

In a flashback to early 2020 the toilet paper aisle was stripped bare in the Nightcliff Woolworths on Sunday morning, with shoppers reporting missing stocks in supermarkets across Darwin.

Coles and Woolworths have confirmed supermarkets were already being impacted as workers were caught up in a national Covid spike.

Coles has introduced temporary purchase limits on mince, chicken breast and thigh, sausages and Rapid Antigen Tests amid the outbreak.

“Recent increases in Covid case numbers in the community have required more people to isolate, which has impacted the availability of labour throughout the food supply chain,” a spokesman said.

“At a time when inventory levels were already reduced in the post-Christmas period, our distribution centres are receiving fewer inbound deliveries and we have fewer team members available to process and dispatch stock to our stores.”

He said new measures, including rolling out rapid antigen testing, would allow the supermarket chain to restock its range over the next few weeks.

A Woolworths spokesman said the NT was not as badly impacted as Victoria, New South Wales or Queensland, where chronic shortages had hit stocks in local supermarkets.

In an email to customers, Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci said more than 20 per cent of distribution staff and 10 per cent of store workers nationally were out of operation because of Covid.

Mr Banducci said customers would see “gaps on shelf, or substitutions in your online order” because of the Covid delays. It is understood perishable goods, including meat, fruit and vegetables, will be the most affected by the supply chain chaos.

“It’s not yet clear how soon the system will come back into balance as we move through the Omicron wave,” he said

“As we transition to living with Covid in 2022, we’ll need to keep learning and adapting.

“We understand how frustrating it is when you can’t find the product you’re looking for and … we’re working hard to get all products back on shelf as quickly as we can. ”

IGA was also contacted for comment.