Kroger’s CEO Says There Will Still Be Meat In Stores But Customers May Have To Be 'Flexible' On What They Buy
As many Americans fear rising meat prices and a meat shortage in grocery stores, Kroger's CEO had a bit more of a reassuring take on the situation, saying there will still be meat on shelves, it just may not be the meat that you want.
Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen told CNBC that though there may be lower inventory, as long as customers don't mind switching up what protein they get, they can still get their meat fix.
“If you’re flexible on eating between chicken, pork and beef, we constantly have one of those items or two of those—and usually three,” he said.
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This echos the guidance several experts gave Delish early in the coronavirus pandemic's emergence in the U.S., saying that there will still be plenty of food at grocery stores, but that people just may need to switch up what exactly they're buying.
Kroger is just one of several grocery chains, including Costco, that implemented a purchase limit on fresh meat products in its stores. CNBC reported that Kroger customers can purchase a combined two of beef, chicken, or pork products.
This meat shortage stems from what meat industry CEOs have warned is a break in the supply chain as meat processing plants have shuttered in the wake of coronavirus and thousands of plant workers testing positive for COVID-19. This break in the supply chain has affected everyone from grocery stores to restaurants.
But McMullen told CNBC that the chain is working on a plan to keep things running and get as much meat on shelves as possible.
“We’re working with all of our meat suppliers, figuring out how to get products that were diverted to restaurants before to get diverted to our stores," he said: "We’re working with new suppliers. And it’s one of those things where on a daily basis, our teams are working 24/7 finding product and getting it there for our customers.”
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