The Latest COVID-19 Shortage Hits The Twin Ports: Pepperoni

The latest shortage brought about by COVID-19 coronavirus? Pepperoni! The best pizza topping ever is getting hard to come by.

Sadly, the shortage is having a big impact on local pizza places, who may not be able to afford the higher cost of pepperoni or who may not be able to find it in the first place.

KBJR reported on how local pizzerias are dealing with the pepperoni shortage. According to their report, local pizza businesses are having to order more pepperoni ahead of time in case they aren't able to get their hands on it down the line, which means more cost upfront. Their report also states that some pizzeria owners are concerned the price is going to keep increasing, which would be alarming as pepperoni is a very popular pizza topping.

As for why the pepperoni shortage is happening in the first place, we can blame the pandemic. National news outlets report that facilities have had to cut staff in an effort to keep up with COVID-19 guidelines, such as social distancing. On top of that, we are consuming more pizza throughout the pandemic and therefore, demand is outweighing supply.

It should be mentioned that national pizza chains won't be impacted by the shortage for now. According to reports, big name chains have contracts that lock in pepperoni at one price so they won't have to pay more, even amid the shortage.

This is a good time to eat a lot of pizza and help local businesses stay afloat amid the COVID-19 pandemic.