'It's Been Crazy,' Turkey Shortages, Supply Chain Issues Impacting Thanksgiving Meals
LANCASTER (CBS) - Supply chain issues could mean Thanksgiving dinner items will be harder to find this year.
According to Market Research Firm IRI, by the end of October, turkeys were 60 percent out of stock. The USDA reports the production of fresh turkeys is down 1.4 percent this year.
IRI also reports that cranberry sauce is 20 percent out of stock and yams and sweet potatoes are a quarter out of stock.
Bob's Turkey Farm in Lancaster is already feeling the effects of supply chain issues. More than two weeks before Thanksgiving, they are out of fresh turkeys.
"It's been crazy," said Susan Miner, co-owner of Bob's. "People were calling in August wanting to order their turkeys and we would not even go live with our order system until September 27th. And right away, hundreds of turkeys coming in daily, orders."
Miner said her farm is processing fewer turkeys this year due to a staffing shortage. She also believes that customers flocked to her business earlier out of fear of shortages at grocery stores.
"I sympathize for our customers because people that have been buying here for years and years and years are used to being able to call," she said.
Supply chain issues have also impacted other products sold at Bob's like stuffing and cranberry sauce.
"Our stuffing for instance. My supplier, I couldn't get bread," Miner said. "We're all having the same supply issue. We have to make due with something else."
