Bonji Foods Aficionado Smart Brief: Volume 48
Hi all, welcome back to the Bonji Food Aficionado Smart Brief! Happy Tuesday and happy November! We hope the weekend treated you well and that you are ready for a new week full of new opportunities! We've touched on incoming food shortages for a while now, and although we may still be able to get what we need in the US (for the most part), costs have skyrocketed. Additionally, it seems like every year around this time we hear about turkey shortages. Well, we are hearing it again! With Thanksgiving around the corner, here are some food items that you may find either difficult to find or you'll see some steep price hikes.
What To Expect With This New Round of Food Shortages 1. Turkey Yes, we know this is becoming a pretty common thing around Thanksgiving, but this year it could hit a bit harder. In 2022 alone, over 6 million turkeys have died of disease, with that number only expected to rise. In addition to the scarcity, it has now been a few years of price hikes for farmers, only adding to the problems. California delis have already seen the turkey shortage hit, as they scramble to keep turkey on the menu. Now, with Thanksgiving only a few weeks away, you may want to start looking to see if your turkey for the big day will be costing you a steep price.
2. Crab Although crab isn't on everyone's Thanksgiving table, there will be a large scarcity across the board. In both Alaska and San Francisco, the crab-catching season has been halted completely. In Alaska, crab populations have essentially vanished over the past few years, and authorities determined they would totally cancel this year's fishing season for crabs and other similar crustaceans. As for San Fran, crab season has been delayed in order to try and help the humpback whale population. Even down in the Chesapeake Bay, the crab population has reached its lowest number in 30 years. If you'll be able to find crabs, expect high prices, however, you can still catch them for yourself!
3. Butter Truly, an important Thanksgiving ingredient, butter prices have now gone wild. In 2022, we've seen prices for a stick of butter increase by 50%. Between the war in Ukraine and rising costs for milk producers, butter is in a danger zone. Although USDA officials aren't declaring a shortage, they have shown concern about this upcoming season. With Thanksgiving dinner and desserts often calling for large amounts of butter, there is worries about panic buying causing a shortage in itself. Thus, be warned, only buy what you need!
