Shops say St. Louis-area meat supply could look different in the coming weeks скачать в хорошем качестве

Shops say St. Louis-area meat supply could look different in the coming weeks

ST. LOUIS — As a meat shortage sweeps the U.S., local markets are worked to the bone. “We have never seen this volume of orders,” said Mike Byassee, operations manager at Kenrick’s Meat & Catering. Kenrick’s is St. Louis’ largest butcher shop. Right now, its inventory is fully stocked with meat products from local suppliers. However, Byassee warned consumers could soon struggle to find cuts of meats because of a cut in supply. “Moving in the next six to eight weeks, if you want a porterhouse or T-Bone, there might not be a porterhouse or T-Bone,” he said. “But you can get a New York strip or a filet mignon.” Because meat suppliers cannot guarantee certain cuts of meat will be available in the coming weeks, Kenrick’s has made changes to its business model. The shop has temporarily suspended meat package orders and bundles, which consist of a variety of meats. The decision was made after demand skyrocketed about 400%. “We used to do 15-25 meat packs a day. There were days we’d been doing 100-125 a day,” explained Byassee. “We want to make sure, if we take an order from a customer we are able to fulfill that order." Management at Kenrick’s is keeping a close eye on the market, and hopes to turn these orders back on on May 11. Consumers will meet another change as they purchase their meat. Normally, suppliers would give Kenrick's set prices every Saturday. Now, Kenrick's receives prices every morning - along with a warning that they could change quickly. “They’re telling us, ‘this is what it is this morning, but you need to call because it could change throughout the day,'” said Byassee. As local meat markets adjust to the unstable business climate, they're asking their customers to do their part. “Americans will have to adapt. Be fair to everybody and don’t hoard.”