Canadian shoppers are facing a poultry predicament as chicken prices continue to climb, forcing many to reconsider their grocery choices.
The spike, most noticeable since the end of September, has retailers and experts sounding the alarm over supply chain disruptions and looming cost increases.
Johannes Wildenborg, owner of Master Meats in Calgary, says the price hike has been particularly steep for chicken thighs.
“Looking around 12 to 15 per cent. Interestingly enough, the biggest increase has been on chicken thighs… chicken thighs are almost 20 per cent higher,” he noted.
The culprit? Avian flu outbreaks across Canada and the United States have led to widespread culling, reducing supply and driving up costs.
“It’s hard to explain to a customer, ‘I’m sorry we don’t have chicken thighs.’ It’s frustrating because we are a single destination business,” Wildenborg added, highlighting the strain on small retailers.
Experts warn that the worst may still be ahead.
“The wholesale phenomenon that we have been observing will catch up to consumers probably mid-winter,” cautioned Sylvain Charlebois, Director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University.
Despite these warnings, the Chicken Farmers of Canada maintain that chicken remains one of the most affordable proteins.
In a statement to CityNews, the organization said, “Canada’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) shows chicken prices up only 1.5 per cent year-over-year… Recent supply challenges are due to avian influenza, which has affected hatching egg supplies across North America. Even so, Canadian farmers are producing more chicken than ever.”
Charlebois, however, believes the issue goes beyond disease.
“We are not producing enough chickens essentially for a variety of different reasons, yes the avian flu is a factor, but mostly it’s just bad planning,” he said.
For now, Wildenborg is holding off on passing the increased costs onto his customers.
“I have not raised my prices because I’m hoping that this is a temporary blip with the avian flu and once they get things back rolling, supplies will come back in and prices should stabilize.”
