The Latest In The Line of Coronavirus Shortages, Pepperoni!

We have had runs on toilet paper, change, and other grocery items. Now the latest will affect some local businesses.

Why is it happening? USA Today is saying it's because the businesses that produce pepperoni have had to cut back for social distancing and that has production down so then the pepperoni production is down.

It's affecting local businesses like Vitta Pizza in Canal Park. Emily Rae, the asst. manager tells KBJR they have had to go elsewhere to get their product because they need it.

Trevor Reiter at Lee's Pizza in Lincoln Park tells KBJR that their best selling pizzas have pepperoni on it so they are forced to pay the higher prices.

I feel bad for Papa John's Pizza, they just started their new product campaign for Shaq-a-roni Pizzas. The USA Today says it's a bigger pepperoni pizza with more pepperoni.
USA Today is reporting that pepperoni prices have doubled and the major chans haven't experienced a shortage yet. The smaller pizza places are all saying they will not pass on the price increase to the consumer just yet. They are saying the same thing as Duluth and Superior pizza places. Their best selling products have pepperoni on them so that may cause consumers to pass on the items. They are afraid it would lower their total sales with consumers choosing to not buy rather than choose a different pie.

The other thing we have to keep an eye on is meat in general. With production down on pepperoni, soon production will be down on other meat products, and then we will see it affect some of the other products, and especially at pizza chains and local pizza places.