A Butterball fresh turkey shortage this Thanksgiving could find many families scrambling for the bird USA Today reported Monday.
""There may be limited availability on some larger sizes of fresh turkeys" and that the shortage is nationwide," Butterball said in a statement Huffington Post reported. The issue has caused Butterball to reduce its supply of fresh turkeys 50 percent.
"We experienced a decline in weight gains on some of our farms causing a limited availability of large, fresh turkeys," Butterball said in a statement USA Today reported. "While we are continuing to evaluate all potential causes, we are working to remedy the issue. We sincerely regret the inconvenience that some of our customers have experienced as a result of this issue." The insufficiency includes fresh, large, and whole turkeys weighing at least 16 pounds. This represents twenty percent to twenty-five percent of Butterball's sales overall.
Grocery store chains like the Big Y are doing their part to make sure customers are affected by the shortage as little as possible.
"All of us at Big Y will do our best to ensure that our customers have a wonderful turkey for their Thanksgiving meal," Guy McFarlane Big Y vice president of fresh foods said in a big y press release on the company website. "Our butchers stand ready to assist customers not only with their turkey selection but cooking tips as well. We are confident that everyone will be happy with their meal."
Customers can also call the grocery store chain's Turkey Help Line for advice about how to thaw a turkey, what size it should be, guidelines for choosing one, and preparing it to eat. The helpline is available at 413-504-4600 or free of charge at 888-306-1441.
The helpline is open from 8 a.m. to 7 a.m. beginning Nov. 21 until Nov. 27.
