Grocery store chains are still struggling with supply challenges that some executives said are as bad as what they saw in the spring of 2020, when stockpiles of some commodities were piling up.
Industry executives say new weekly issues are emerging, motivated by labor and raw material shortages. Groceries, including waffles and frozen beverages, remain scarce, as some food companies anticipate outages that will last until 2022. A wider range of products is running short and logistical challenges are worsening for many retailers. .
Donny Rouse, CEO of Louisiana-based Rouses Markets, said he is struggling to fill shelves as his company lacks everything from pet food to preserves. Sometimes the chain of more than 60 supermarkets receives only 40% of what they order, which causes Mr. Rouse and his staff to try to insure the products sooner and more often. Prior to the pandemic, Rouses received more than 90% of its orders.
“It’s hard for customers to get everything they want to get,” said Rouse, the grandson of the chain’s founder.
Many grocery chains said it is difficult to predict the extent to which their deliveries will be complete or punctual due to the limited guidance of suppliers and executives said there is often little recourse when trucks appear with a fraction of what is left. to order. Demand is higher than expected by retailers, with monthly sales around 14% from two years ago and 3% from a year ago, according to data from research firm IRI.