When the doors slammed shut around the world a few weeks ago, much of ordinary life also stopped. The restaurant industry was also left with stacks of produce untouched. One of the products which has the largest surplus is chicken wings.
While most restaurants are still offering takeaway services there is still a huge amount of excess stock. Data released by the US agriculture department has revealed that the price of a pound of chicken wings has slumped from around $2 at the time of the Super Bowl to a meagre $1.08. I’ve heard about oil prices and stock markets crashing but this is a new one.
Part of the reason for this chicken wing crisis is restauranteurs stocking up prior to the college basketball tournament ‘March Madness.’ This was then cancelled. The Washington Post reported that in the week the tournament was due to start 1.24 million pounds of wings were sold by poultry producers. This is now down to just 433,000 pounds.
The lead animal protein economist at CoBank, Will Sawyer, confirmed this:
The major wing chains that should be hot this time of year are closed. The food service side of things, they probably still have wings they bought weeks ago getting ready for March Madness and for people to come watch the games, but they’re not selling them.
What will happen to all these delicious wings? Be chucked into a freezer seems the most obvious option. Or be sold to grocery stores. Perhaps some could be cooked off and donated to homeless shelters? So many charities right now are really struggling.
This pile up of food seems like it was unavoidable when you look at it alongside the sudden nature of the lockdown. However, continue to support your local restaurants. No excuse not to eat takeaway now folks.
Check out how another food retailer is coping through the coronavirus crisis.
Featured Image Credit – Pixabay
