Singapore: Where are all the French fries? Shortage amid global supply disruption
- World’s favourite fast-food still in short supply after Omicron outbreak and climate chaos affected crop production and shipments
- McDonald’s rationed French fries in Japan; now chains such as Yum Brands’ KFC in Singapore said they’ll replace side orders of fries with potato waffles
Southeast Asian fast-food chains are being hit by a shortage of French fries as supply-chain snarls slow shipments of the frozen product.
Signs at some of Yum Brands Inc’s KFC outlets in Singapore informed customers that the company would replace side orders of French fries with potato waffles due to a “global supply disruption.” McDonald’s Corp stores in Malaysia and Indonesia halted sales of large-size portions of fries late last month for the same reason, according to company notices posted on Twitter.
A spokeswoman for KFC in Singapore wasn’t immediately able to comment.
Global supply chains have come under pressure from the Omicron virus variant in recent months due to increased customs checks at ports and labour shortages across the transport sector. McDonald’s was forced to ration French fries in Japan late last year after flooding at a Vancouver port and the coronavirus choked off supplies.
Then earlier this year, the operator of McDonald’s restaurants in Japan said it would again only offer smaller portions of its French fries for about a month from January 9 at all of its 2,900 stores nationwide.
A mix of drought in Canada’s prairies and flooding on its Pacific coast brought about crop production and shipping woes leading to the international shortages of mustard as well as fries.
Continued delay of imports due to bad weather has forced the fast-food company to impose the further restriction on sales. The company also temporarily suspended offering hash browns at some locations.