Ketchup is latest industry disrupted by virus changes

COVid-sparked demand for single-use packets leads to supply issues

If you are one of those people who utilize French fries as transportation devices for delicious blobs of ketchup, we’ve got bad news.

According to Fox News, there’s a ketchup shortage hitting the U.S. food service industry, in part due to an increased demand for takeout.

Ketchup packet supplies have also been impacted by recommended changes for restaurants by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fox notes. The CDC advised restaurants to stop using reusable supplies, such as condiment bottles, and instead use “single serving condiments.”

As a result, Fox reports that prices for ketchup packets have increased 13% since January 2020.

And Heinz, which holds the majority market share for ketchup in the U.S., can’t keep up with orders for ketchup packets. Fox reports the company plans to increase production by about 25%.

But readers, that does mean that in the interim, you could find less ketchup at restaurants or in your takeout bag – or perhaps that ketchup will be a different brand than usual.

The pandemic has upended our supply chain in the strangest of ways. First it was the run on toilet paper and paper towels, driven largely by panic buying and hoarding.

This time, it’s ketchup in the hot seat, and the shortage is due to a change in how we consume a product – switching from big containers on a restaurant table to little disposable packets.

It’s an interesting scenario we’re facing, and likely not to be the last one we see as our behaviors adapt to measures that counter the spread of COVID.

However, readers, if you are a fries and ketchup fan, perhaps this is an opportunity to expand your horizons and try something new with your fries.

In the Netherlands, for example, fries are served with Dutch mayonnaise, which is a little spicier than U.S. mayo, Mental Floss reports.

In Japan, fries are served with seasoning powders to sprinkle on top, while in England, those fries come with a little malt vinegar and some salt.

Fortunately, it’s unlikely that ketchup supplies will stay low forever. And in the meantime, there are a host of other condiments to try out there.

In fact, fries and salsa sound like a delicious

Yuma option!