Ever wonder why you can’t order your favorite BFF-size French fries from the McDonald’s store near you? Or how about asking for another bottle of Mang Inasal’s famous chicken oil but was told they only have a limited supply of the said condiment?
Well, my friend, you’re not the only one experiencing this because some diners aren’t serving your favorite eats for now and that’s because of the supply shortage we’re having right now.
Per reports from INQUIRER.net, some of our local and popular restaurants are recently struggling to source supply and meet the public’s demand.
The first one to address and report the shortage is McDonald’s Philippines, where the fast-food chain announced on its Facebook page that its supply is limited due to the “global freight crisis.”
“The supply of our World Famous Fries is limited because of the global freight crisis. That’s why you haven’t been seeing our fries in big red fry boxes (medium, large, and BFF) in stores,” it wrote.
The company added that they would still serve the regular-sized ones and assured the public that they are “working hard to bring back all sizes to you very soon.”
Mang Inasal, another local favorite restaurant that belongs to fast-food giant Jollibee Foods Corp, has also posted an advisory that the supply of their famous chicken oil is limited and that they would only be serving on a “per-request basis.”
Randy’s Donuts has also been added to the growing list of restaurants experiencing shortages. In a Facebook post, the recently-opened US donut chain announced on May 24, 2022, that their donuts were sold out.
A day later, they added that they ran out of flour, but assured their patrons that its fresh batches from Los Angeles, California would be back soon.
Mary Grace Café, the popular bakery who’s known for its homemade ensaymada and cheese rolls, has also been affected by the ongoing crisis.
“You may be having difficulty getting your hands on a box or two of your favorite Mary Grace Ensaymadas. Unfortunately, we’re experiencing some global supply issues on a few raw materials, beyond our control,” the bakery said in a statement.
They also added that the quality of their products would not be compromised and they hope to resolve this issue soon.
So, what’s the reason why we’re experiencing a supply shortage?
The first factor that contributes to the ongoing shortage is the crisis in freight transport. As consumers continue to buy retail goods online due to the limitation caused by COVID-19, ports are struggling because of the high volume of imports.
According to the Global Trade’s report, the factors that prompted this crisis are the delay in port waiting time, shortages in labor and containers, and the strict COVID-19 restrictions in some countries, particularly China—which bring us to the second reason for supply shortage.
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, China has imposed strict restrictions to combat the pandemic, implementing lockdowns, trapping people at home for several weeks, and suspending production in factories. Their “zero COVID strategy” causes disruption in the global supply chain.
Iris Pang, the chief economist of China, said in a statement that “China’s COVID-19 crisis” could affect the global economy’s growth rates. “A problem in China could be a problem for the global economy,” she warned.
Joining the list of reasons for supply shortages is the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. In case you missed it: after eight years of long-standing conflict, Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
The war does not only cause a number of casualties and refugee crisis, but also triggers economic fallout, the chain reaction of shortages, and a worsening of global food insecurity.
So there you have it! This pretty much explains why some of our favorite foods are not available right now. Hopefully, these ongoing crises—not just the supply shortage but the war and pandemic as well—can be resolved soon.
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